Khan's Mystery Girl
by Lucky Chances
Summary: AU! Who is this Mystery Girl and what is her connection to Khan? She seems to have the same strength as Khan, but she isn't one of Khan's crew - Two worlds must find a way to become one. Get ready for another alternate reality that will put a huge twist in Star Trek: into darkness. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!
1. Mystery Girl on Kronos

****Prologue****

The Captain of the Enterprise suddenly felt his heart skip a beat...

One of the Klingons had just grabbed Uhura by her chin and in one swift moment lifted her off her feet which brought her face up close to his.

Kirk continued to stare through the side screen of the ship that they had arrived in with his First Officer - Spock, as usual, was showing no emotion as he watched his girlfriend trying to stand up against the Klingons that had just chased them through this wasteland known as Kronos.

Just at that moment, Kirk saw something explode right behind the Klingons just missing Uhura. He quickly looked up and around in confusion, but he knew there was no time to find out where it had come from because now he knew that Uhura was in more trouble than she was a moment ago.

Without thinking, he raced straight out of the ship, shooting towards the Klingons and hoped it gave Uhura time to get away.

Shot after shot started firing everywhere and the start of a battle began - Kirk couldn't make much sense of what was going on around him, but he knew he was no match for the strength of these Klingons. He wasn't one to give up easily, though. Especially with the energy building up in him over the death of his own mentor and friend; Christopher Pike. Which was one of the reasons why his crew were here!

He was in the middle of fighting one of the Klingons and before he knew what was happening, Kirk found himself on the ground with a rifle staring back at him.

As the Klingon continued to aim the rifle down at him, Kirk thought this was the end; He was going to die. He kept staring up at the Klingon until he heard the sound of the rifle go off. But instead of the shot hitting him the Klingon fall down at his feet.

He was very confused for a moment; He couldn't quite believe what had just happened. That was until he realised the Klingon was shot from behind. Kirk stared up to where he could see the guy they presumed was John Harrison (who they had come to capture and take back to Earth for the actions he took against Starfleet Headquarters) fighting the Klingons that had advanced towards him. But it wasn't him that had saved his life, there was now a second person fighting beside him who happen to be wearing a hood over their head.

Now Kirk was even more confused. But he didn't get the chance to think... Uhura and Spock took that moment to appear and drag him to a rock away from the crossfire; He was glad they were alive, but his focus was on the two figures that were fighting off the remaining Klingons.

He continued to stare at this second figure wondering who this person was. Couldn't tell if it was male or female. The person had the same strength as Harrison and was fighting the Klingons like they were nothing. To be honest, though he didn't really know which one was John Harrison. From the image, he had seen the person who saved his life didn't match his build.

When the two figures had defeated all the Klingons they both spoke to each other... they were too far away to hear what they were saying. But it didn't last long and the one they presumed to be John Harrison jumped very high in the air. (A jump that would be impossible for any human being) He landed right in front of them with his rifle aiming right at them.

He stared back in shock; who was this John Harrison and how could he do what he had just done? Kirk took a moment to compose himself and looked back to where Harrison was a moment ago to find the other figure rushing after him. But this time with the speed of a human.

"Stand down!" Command Spock.

In a blink of an eye, Harrison fired his weapon towards Spock... Somehow managing to knock the weapon out of his hands. Spock looked unhurt just a mixture of emotions on his face which he showed when things weren't explained with logic.

"The torpedoes..." Kirk quickly looked back at Harrison as he continued to say, "The weapons you frighten me with, in your message, how many are there?"

He found himself unable to take his eyes of Harrison. For some reason, no words came to him. Only that he was now confronting Pike's killer. There were so many thoughts going through Kirk's mind and all they consisted of was how he could get his revenge.

"72!" That was Spock's voice again.

Sometimes Kirk was glad to have a half-Vulcan as his First Officer. Only sometimes, though...

John Harrison now stared at Spock in shock himself.

All he wanted to do was fire all of those torpedoes at him. But Kirk knew that would be too easy; He wanted Harrison to suffer like he was.

John Harrison quickly threw his weapon at their feet and suddenly announced, "I surrender!"

Spock quickly grabbed Harrison's gun and aimed it back at its owner.

Slowly, Kirk started to rise which was quite painful for him; His muscles were aching like mad. Especially after the strength he had used to fight the Klingons, but somehow managed to stand on his feet. Kirk gazed right up into Harrison's eyes - The guy seemed a few inches taller than him so he had to lift his chin a little to look right up into his eyes. "On the behalf of Christopher Pike, my friend. I accept your surrender." Kirk couldn't believe he had just said that. All he wanted to do was beat this guy up until he suffered like Pike had, but he knew his friend wouldn't want that and deep down he believed the same thing.

He was truly struggling to control his anger; wanting to just punch the hell out of this bastard. Kirk instantly took that moment to turn his back on Harrison, hoping it would calm him down.

He stood there for a moment staring at everything that had just happened - Knowing they had only survived because of this guy and that was really starting to eat away at him. Harrison still had to suffer somehow for what he had done back at Starfleet Headquarters; where he had murdered all those innocent people in cold blood. At that thought, Kirk quickly turned back and gave Harrison one powerful punch. Or the most powerful he could manage with how weak he was.

For some reason, their prisoner didn't even flinch from that punch and that really did annoy the hell out of Kirk. So he just continued to punch him, hoping to finally show Harrison how he truly felt.

"No...Stop!"

He could make out that the other figure had now appeared behind Harrison. He couldn't bring himself to care what they were saying. The rage continued busting through him as he punched Harrison again. Even tried to knee him in the crotch a few times to see if that would affect him, but for some reason, it didn't. Even though, Kirk could feel his arms getting tired and heavy from all this. He still couldn't bring himself to stop.

"**CAPTAIN**!" Uhura suddenly shouted.

At that moment, Kirk lost all his strength in his arms and felt them pulling him down. He just about managed to keep his balance and he slowly tried to stand back up again.

"_Captain!_" Harrison mimicked back in a sarcastic tone.

He continued staring back at Harrison with an angry look, trying not to beat himself up over this. At the same time, he saw the other person move beside Harrison and take hold of his hand. Kirk could just make out the person's profile as female, but still couldn't see her face as that hood she wore was hiding it from view. He knew it didn't matter anyway. She was still as guilty as Harrison - For just being with him.

He couldn't deal with this any longer. So Kirk quickly turned around and started walking away, but not before telling Uhura and Spock what to do. "Cuff them!"

The Captain made his way back to the ship, but before he walked in he turned back once more to look at Harrison and the girl; Harrison was staring right into the girl's face and even though he didn't speak she still nodded her head as if they understood each other without words. Maybe they could communicate without words, he wouldn't put it past this superhuman.

The girl was certainly a mystery to him. Was she capable of doing everything that Harrison could? Kirk only knew that she did have the same strength to fight like Harrison; Especially, the way she fought off the Klingons. The big mystery was how come they didn't detect her here with John Harrison; The ship's computer only picked up Harrison's presents. Whoever, she was? Kirk was determined to find out, and at the same time find out how Harrison could do the things he did? No matter what happens, they will both face trial.

Captain Kirk thought no more as he walked into the ship and started to make preparations to get them back to the Enterprise - Where he hoped Chekov had finally fixed his ship.


	2. Fears of the Unknown

_A Mysterious figure, with a hood that went over their head which was also hiding the person's face, staring his way – He couldn't believe this girl alone had saved his life_...

"Captain!"

A deep voice suddenly pulled Kirk back to the present. He quickly turned his head to come face to face with his First Officer, Spock. The Captain realised he had been in a world of his own, thinking about everything that had happened since they left the Enterprise to capture John Harrison and found out he was some kind of super-human. Oh and to top that off there was also some mysterious girl hiding with him.

"I advise we get moving before the rest of the Klingons find out what happened here," Spock continued to say.

"Believe me, I don't wish to hang around here a moment longer," He responded back.

All of a sudden, Uhura took that moment to came up behind Spock and smiled contently at him as she made her way over to her seat; Kirk remembered the fight they had on the way here, but somehow after that they had learned a lot more about each other - Come to think of it, he had learned more about Spock too.

"Everything seems to be functioning normally, Captain," Uhura stated.

Spock moved away from him and took his seat right after his girlfriend spoke.

He could see that the two security officers, that had come with them to Kronos had already strapped Harrison and the girl in and were sitting opposite them.

He was thinking about taking his own seat when he noticed that the girl was looking straight at him. Well, he still couldn't see her eyes as she still had that damn hood covering her face, but she was definitely looking towards him - It still bothered him about who she was and what she had to hide? Anyone who wore a hood like that surely had something to hide.

"All systems, are ready for take-off, Captain."

That same deep voice shook him out of his thoughts. He slowly made his way to his seat. "Good, let's get the hell out of here," Kirk said before he started to pilot the ship and get them back to the Enterprise.

* * *

After they made touchdown there was a security team waiting as he had ordered and instantly started to escort the two prisoners away. He was glad they had made it back with no more problems. (He wasn't up for another round with those Klingons) Kirk followed behind as the team escorted Harrison and the girl to the brig.

When they made it to the main corridor, Kirk watched as the security team led the prisoners into the brig. At the last moment, the girl suddenly turned around to face him before the doors closed behind her – He still had no idea how she was looking at him. (He truly wanted to pull that damn hood down and finally find out what she had to hide) But he just found himself standing there until he couldn't see her anymore.

As Kirk continued along the corridor past all his crew, that were going this way and that paying no attention to him as they carried on with their duties. He had this gut feeling that they all might just be caught up in this big trap. He couldn't work out how or what had them trapped, but he bet this Harrison guy could solve a few of these mysteries. Not that he would trust him or the girl, he just wanted answers to how Harrison could do what he could do and most of all the girl - Where the hell had she come from and how did she manage to hide from the computer sensors?

Just before Kirk made it to his quarters, he slowly pulled his communicator out. "Bones, meet me in the brig in ten."

"Why, is our prisoner sick?" answered back.

Kirk wasn't in the mood to argue with McCoy as he knew this conversation would end up that way if he let him go on, so he responded with... "Just do it, Bones."

"God dammit Jim! I'm…"

He quickly snapped his communicator shut, which instantly cut off McCoy's voice. Kirk knew what he was going to say, it was what he always said. Right now wasn't the time, though. They had to get to the bottom of this mystery and to top it off, he found out that Chekov still hadn't fixed his ship. So that meant hanging around even longer in Klingon space, which he didn't feel very comfortable with at all.

* * *

When Kirk finally made it back to the brig in his gold shirt again, he found Spock and McCoy waiting for him.

"I hear we may have two super-humans on board," McCoy said as soon as he saw Kirk coming towards them.

He just kept walking into the brig area knowing they would both follow him, before he answered his Best Friend/Chief Medical Officer, "That's what I want you to find out."

As Kirk walked up to the piece of glass confining the prisoners he found Harrison standing there staring back, but it was the girl who was sitting on the bench that draws his attention; She now had her hood down. Even though, he still couldn't see her face as she was staring down at her hands that were now resting in her lap. Kirk was quite surprised with what he could see of her; she had long dark hair that was tied up in a high ponytail, she was very slim but quite fit. She had more muscle in her upper arms than most girls he knew. She sure did look very attractive... No, he wasn't going to start thinking down that road. She was involved with a murderer, so that made her almost one herself!

McCoy got straight on with his job and opened a part of the glass, just big enough for an arm to go through. "Put your arm through the opening; I need a blood sample," McCoy ordered.

The girl's head quickly lifted up and looked up towards Harrison, who was still looking at McCoy, but he slowly turned his head to look back. They both ended up staring at each other in silence for a moment or two; Kirk couldn't read Harrison's expression as he now had his back turned to him, but the girl had the look of concern on her face; Was she frightened of what Harrison's blood would reveal or her own?

Harrison looked back at McCoy and rolled his sleeve up and placed his arm through the gap and the Doctor started to take his blood. Kirk noticed that he was having a little trouble trying to pierce his skin, but after a little more force; that would have seriously harmed anyone else, which just made Harrison grin back at him.

"Why aren't we moving, Captain?" Harrison finally asked.

He decided to ignore him. Kirk wasn't going to talk to a prisoner about what was going on, but the next part that Harrison came out with really did get to him.

"Could it be something to do with a malfunction in your warp core which is stranding you in Klingon space..?"

"How the hell did you know..?"

"Bones!" He quickly warned McCoy. Kirk was just surprised as he was, but still didn't want anyone communicating with Harrison.

"I think you will find my insight valuable, Captain," Harrison continued to say.

McCoy turned to face the girl who seemed to be staring at Spock for some reason. Kirk turned to face Spock and saw that he was staring right back with a look on his face that he didn't see very often; it was the look of uncertainty. Kirk knew that he was going to talk to him about that later, but right now wasn't the time.

"You next, Miss!" McCoy ordered.

He turned his head in time to see the girl was now staring at McCoy with a scared look on her face. Kirk wondered if she was just afraid of needles or could it be something else entirely?

"It will just be a small prick." McCoy tried to reassure her.

The girl quickly turns to face Harrison, who just nods his head. Slowly, she stood up but didn't take her eyes off Harrison as slowly made her way over to McCoy and draw her arm through the same hole. It looked like she was holding her breath with a worried look on her face as Doctor started to take her blood. Kirk had a feeling it went deeper than a fear of needles and his answer might just be with what was now in that container.

The girl slowly draws her arm back and slowly made her way back over to the bench. She took one last look at Spock, who for some reason hadn't said a single word since they entered the brig. Come to think of it either had the girl. Kirk felt like turning back around to see if Spock still had that same look on his face, but he was more concerned about the girl at this moment, who only took a quick look at Spock then back over at McCoy with a look of sadness before staring down at her lap again, but this time, she pulled the hood back up over her head.

Harrison got down on his knees and lifted the girl's chin up with his hand and they both stared at each other without saying a single word and Kirk wondered once again if they could communicate without words.


	3. Kirk's past?

"Are we good?" Kirk asked McCoy as he sealed up the opening in the glass and turned to face him.

"Yep!" McCoy answered in his usual grumpy voice.

Kirk could tell that McCoy was really pissed off and to be honest so was he... It was strange how this Harrison guy seemed to know so much. Kirk tried his best to act as calm as he could, he couldn't let his team know that he was just as wound up as them, but he knew McCoy would know him too well, even though he wouldn't voice that fact in front of others.

"Good, let me know what you find." Kirk nodded his head at McCoy as he turned and walked out the brig.

Kirk turns to face Spock who still hadn't taken his eyes off the girl and he still had that uncertain look on his face.

As Kirk turned around and started to walk away he saw out the corner of his eye that Spock had started to follow him, he was now going to find out what Spock had to say about all this, and why he had stayed so quite. Well, that was until he heard that annoying voice again.

"Ignore me Captain and you will get everyone on this ship killed." Harrison was determined to be heard.

This certainly did make Kirk stop dead and he started debating himself... should he find out what the hell Harrison was going on about or just continue ignoring him. Kirk knew one thing though, he would always protect his crew; they were like family to him and there was no way on earth (or space) would he ever want to lose that.

"Captain, I believe he will only attempt to manipulate you, I would not recommend engaging the prisoner further," Spock said as if he could read Kirk's mind.

Kirk knew that Spock was right, he always was in a certain kind of way, but he also knew he had to deal with this; Harrison seemed to know what he was talking about.

"Give me a minute," Kirk stated to Spock.

Kirk saw out the corner of his eye that Spock wanted to say something else and for once Kirk hoped he didn't want to argue this... With the amount of rage in him at the moment, he would surely lash out and he truly didn't want to do that with Spock, he would rather save it for the guy behind them.

Kirk was grateful when he saw Spock slowly walk away and out of the brig completely.

Kirk turned around quickly and walked right up to the glass again and saw that Harrison was now standing up again and was standing right up against the other side of the glass.

"Let me explain what is happening here, you are both criminals; I watched you murder innocent Men and Women. I was authorized to end you and the only reason you are both still alive is because I'm allowing it," Kirk said angrily.

Kirk wished right now he could break this glass down so he could release his energy on Harrison again, but he doubt it would do any good... just like it didn't back on Kronos, and this was the one thing that was really eating him up.

**"****SO. SHUT. YOUR. MOUTH**!" Kirk shouted very slowly.

"Oh Captain, are you going to punch me again, over and over until your arm weakens. Clearly you want to... So tell me, why did you allow us to live?" Harrison said with an annoying look on his face.

**"**We all make mistakes!" Kirk stated, half-heartedly.

While this was going on Kirk could see out the corner of his eye that the girl had now lowered her hood again and was looking at the both of them with the look of concern and he could also see a little bit of fear there as well, but at least the girl knew to keep quiet.

"No, I surrendered to you cause, despite your attempt to convince me otherwise, you seem to have a conscience, Mr. Kirk. If you did not, then it would be impossible for me to convince you of the truth," Harrison stated.

This was not the reaction kirk was expecting and what Harrison was making him think and feel at this moment, he was really starting to convince Kirk of something that was happening, something he couldn't quite point out, but was starting to hit at a point in Kirk's mind; making him feel like he should listen.

"23174611. Coordinates not far from Earth. If you want to know why I did what I did, go and take a look," Harrison continued to say.

Kirk felt that maybe Harrison had a reason for doing what he did, or maybe he was trying to protect himself and the girl... mainly just the girl he assumed, as Harrison could take care of himself and maybe the girl could too, but not as good as Harrison.

Kirk was a little curious himself of what was out there, the fact still remained though... should he listen and do what a prisoner wanted?

"Give me one good reason why I should listen to you?" Kirk asked.

"Because you don't know what the hell you are dealing with." That statement came from the girl.

Kirk turned to face the girl who was now standing next to Harrison glaring back at him with a mean look on her face... This sudden outburst from the girl really took him by surprise.

"And you are now caught up in this, just as much as we are," the girl continued to say.

"And how do you work that out Miss …... whoever the hell you are?" Kirk demanded to know.

Kirk watched as the girl pressed her face right up against the glass and as Harrison placed a hand on her shoulder she slowly turned around to face him.

"Let me handle this," Harrison calmly said to her.

Kirk watched as the girl slowly nodded her head at Harrison and she slowly walked back to her seat.

The girl had a lot of anger within her and really wanted to let loose with whatever was eating away at her, but for some reason Harrison was stopping her from doing this.

The girl sat down again, but this time continued to glare back at Kirk and it seemed that she wasn't quite finished saying what she was determined to tell him with or without Harrison's consent.

"If I remember you well enough, you would always listen, no matter who it was, just so you knew what was going on yourself" The girl stated angrily.

The girl's face quickly turned to concern as she continued to look back at Kirk, who now was even more confused about how this the girl could know what he did or didn't do?

Kirk continued to stare back at the girl wondering what she meant when she said that, the girl couldn't know him could she? He was sure he would remember this girl if he had met her in the past, but there were lots of girls in his past, but none that would know that sort of information about him. Kirk now wondered what else the girl could know about him, and Kirk was even more determined to find out who this girl was.

**"**Captain, to the matter at hand," Harrison said trying to get Kirk's attention again.

Even though right now Kirk just wanted to continue this conversation with the girl, but he knew there was more important issues right now then to find out what else the girl knew about him, so he slowly turned his head to glare back at Harrison.

**"**There are seventy-two reasons why you should listen to me and they are on board your ship... They have been all along. I suggest you open one up," Harrison stated.

Now this certainly did get Kirk's attention. What did the torpedoes have to do with all this? And he doubt it was because they could of killed the two of them. Harrison didn't seem to be afraid of death and the girl he wasn't quite sure of, but he was definitely going to get to the bottom of this.

Kirk took one last look at the girl who was still staring back at him with that annoying look on her face. Kirk couldn't seem to keep up with her moods, one minute she was annoyed by him and the next was showing concern... Well he was surely going to find out why sooner or later, but right now he was curious about these torpedoes and whatever the hell Harrison meant.

At that thought Kirk slowly turned around and headed out of the brig completely, where he found his First Officer Spock waiting for him.


	4. Mystery Girl, No more!

Kirk couldn't believe all that had happened...

He was now making his way back to the brig with Spock hot on his trail.

Kirk couldn't believe that he had nearly lost two of his crew and one of them had been his friend McCoy.

Kirk had never been so frightened in all his 26 years... He had organised for two of his team to go down on an abandoned planet with one of the torpedoes that Harrison had talked about. Carol Marcus, the Admiral's daughter was the most experienced to be able to open one of those things, so she went down with his Medical Officer, but things went wrong and somehow his friend had got his arm stuck in this torpedo and had somehow activated it. When Kirk had heard that the torpedo was going to go off with McCoy's arm stick to it, he had frozen and couldn't speak or even think what to do and it only made things worse when he heard McCoy counting down the seconds to beam up at least the other member of his group.

Kirk was so grateful that it had all worked out and Carol Marcus had saved the day and had unarmed the torpedo and that had released his friend's arm.

**"**Captain, I'm sure you think it's the right thing to do, but I strongly disagree with you communicating with the prisoners any further" Spock stated.

Kirk knew that Spock would disagree, he always did, but this time he knew he had to find out who that guy was that they had found in the torpedo and somehow Harrison was the only person who knew about him.

**"**I have to know who is in that torpedo and Harrison seems to know a lot more than he is saying" Kirk responded.

**"**I understand your concerns..."

**"**... Do you? Kirk interrupted him.

That certainly made Spock, silent. Kirk wondered what expression would be on his face, but right now he couldn't be bothered to turn around and look, he had only one destination in mind and one goal and nothing or no-one was going to alter his mind.

**"**Those prisoners are still prisoners and will continue to mislead you" Spock continued to reason with Kirk.

This had certainly made Kirk stop dead and he quickly turned around to face Spock who was now standing still staring back at him with a confused look on his face.

Kirk knew that Spock was keeping things from him and he finally wanted to get to the bottom of this, he wouldn't have his first officer hiding things from him like he had done with the Admiral's daughter.

**"**Speaking about the prisoners, what do you know about the girl?" Kirk glared back at Spock.

**"**I have never seen that girl before today."

**"**Then explain to me why you two had a staring match going on," Kirk said with determination in his voice.

**"**Staring Match! If you're talking about the time we talked with them earlier, then all I can say is that there was something about the girl that I was unsure off?"

**"**Care to explain what you mean by that?" This conversation was really starting to wound Kirk up.

**"**When I work it out for myself, I will tell you... Right now, there isn't anything I can say."

**"**I just don't like the idea of you keeping things from me" Kirk finally said.

**"**If you are speaking about the Admiral's daughter, I told you as soon as it came right to tell you".

"Just try keeping me updated with things concerning the crew" Kirk slowly started to calm down a little, but there were times when he wish Spock would speak more emotionally, then maybe he might get a proper answer.

**"**Yes Captain, as you wish" Spock still stood staring back at him.

Kirk turned back around and continued making his way to the brig, he noticed that Spock was still following him and in a way he was grateful, he still had a lot of anger locked up inside and it was making him calmer to have Spock by his side.

As Kirk approached the glass where the two prisoners were he saw that Harrison and the girl were both sitting on the bench with their faces quite close and it looked like they were kissing, which was only from the way the back of Harrison's head was moving in sync with the girl's. Kirk for a second felt quite embarrassed for walking in at this moment.

Kirk turned around to face Spock who was standing behind him staring back at him, but Kirk couldn't make out what he was thinking, so he slowly turned back and this time walked straight up to the glass that was separating him from the prisoners.

Kirk was thinking of the best way to distract them, when the next minute he was taken by surprise as Harrison was now standing right up against the glass in front of him, which made him take a step back in shock.

Kirk quickly looked over at the girl and could see she was just as surprised as he was, even more so with the way she was leaning forward with her eyes closed and almost leaned too far on the edge of the bench before she quickly balanced herself and opened her eyes staring up at Harrison with an annoying look. Kirk could tell from that look alone that she may have had this happen to her a few times and she certainly wasn't happy about it, he couldn't blame the girl, he would be the same if any girl did that to him, but right now wasn't the time for that and he turned to stare back at Harrison.

**"**Why is there a man in that torpedo?" Kirk said angrily.

**"**There are men and women in all those torpedoes Captain, I put them there" Harrison answered calmly.

Now this certainly did shock Kirk and it made him turn his head to face Spock who was standing at the other end of the glass staring back him with the same surprised look. Kirk couldn't understand why he would do that to those people? He understood why they were frozen, that was explained by McCoy.

He also didn't know who Harrison was, when he looked up John Harrison's profile he didn't exist until a year ago and the girl was a totally different story, especially when you don't have a name.

**"**Who the hell are you?" Kirk demanded.

Kirk noticed that as Harrison spoke about who he was his eyes started watering a little and that the girl came to stand beside him, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, which seemed to take Harrison by surprise, but he just took hold of her hand and left them both resting on his shoulder.

**"**I looked up John Harrison and until a year ago he didn't exist" Kirk need to get Harrison back on track.

Kirk did notice that the girl was giving him one evil look, If looks could kill he would be a dead man for sure, but this really didn't concern him at all, he just wanted to get to the bottom of this and he truly didn't care what the girl thought about him.

Kirk then remembered how the girl spoke about him earlier, how could she know him? But right now he had to snap out of it especially when he heard Harrison mention Admiral Marcus.

**"**My name is Khan" Harrison stated.

At least he now had his real name and maybe he was right about Admiral Marcus reviving him for a purpose to help Starfleet, but right now there was something else he wanted to know. Who the hell was this girl?

Kirk turned to face the girl who was still looking at him with an angry look on her face, as if she would think that would scare him away. "And who the hell are you?"

Kirk noticed her face quickly went from anger to being a little nervous, this proved to him that the girl truly didn't want to tell them who she was.

The girl quickly looked back at Harrison, (who was now known as Khan) who slowly nodded his head and it looked like to Kirk that he was squeezing her hand too, that was still resting on Khan's shoulder.

The girl slowly turned to look at Spock and then slowly back to Kirk again.

Kirk noticed for the first time that the girl had a pair of light green eyes with sparkles of brown in them and as he continued to look into those eyes, they seem to remind him of another set; his friend Leonard McCoy, who he had nearly lost today.

**"**My. Name. Is. Alicia" the girl said very slowly.

Kirk continued to stare back at the girl, she better not think that her first name was all he wanted.

Alicia stared back at Kirk and then looked towards Spock again, was she only looking for a distraction or was there a different meaning for her looking at Spock every time she got scared.

**"**Alicia Pike" the girl stated.

Did Kirk just hear correctly? He must of misunderstood the girl. Kirk slowly turned to face Spock who was looking just as shocked as he was, so that meant he had heard correctly.

Kirk turned back to the girl with an angry look on his face, Alicia must be having a joke with them, because there was no-way she would be hanging around with the person that had murdered her... Well whatever relationship she had with Christopher Pike.

**"**Don't play games with me" Kirk said angrily.

**"**You think I'm playing a game" Alicia stated angrily .

Kirk was about to yell back at the girl that he wasn't in the mood for all this, he just wanted answers, truthful answers, not lies.

**"**I don't play games when it comes to my father... Christopher Pike is my father" Alicia stared right through the glass with McCoy's eyes.

Kirk felt a sliver go down his spine, he truly wasn't sure if he should believe her or not, but that look on her face, plus the way she said it made him think that maybe she really was Chris's daughter. Kirk was sure Christopher would have told him if he had a daughter; he knew Christopher had been married, but was divorced years ago, could they have had a daughter? Kirk was certain there was never any mention of a daughter or even a photo on his desk, which he was sure Chris would of done if he had had a daughter.

**"**Now you know who I am" Alicia continued to say when Kirk didn't respond.

Kirk was even more confused, if this girl Alicia was Christopher Pike's daughter what was she doing hanging out with the guy that had murdered her father, was she part of it? Did she know that her father was in that same room that Khan had opened fire on, surly she must of known that, especially if she knew her father well enough and from the way Alicia was speaking she regarded her father quite well.


	5. Kirk rubs it in Deeper

Kirk knew he was getting distracted again...

He just couldn't believe who this girl was, but at least she had a name now; Alicia. Kirk wanted to know a lot more about her and where she had been all this time, she hadn't been with Khan when he attacked Starfleet headquarters, there was definitely only Khan in that 'Jump ship' that he used to get up to the briefing room at Headquarters. This turned Kirk's attention back to the main issue here... Khan and the way he was speaking about Admiral Marcus.

**"**Why would a Starfleet Admiral ask a 300-year-old frozen man for help?" Kirk asked sarcastically.

Khan stood up and Alicia backed up a few steps as he took a step closer to the glass and glared back at Kirk. "Because I am better" he stated with a big grin on his face.

Kirk could tell he was trying to show off with that remake, especially after that tense moment about him and his crew. Kirk knew he was on about the fight he had with the Klingons back on Kronos, where he was able to fight them off all on his own, with the girl's help as well he suppose. Kirk still wasn't quite certain how he managed to do that, maybe this might be his way to find out.

**"**At what?" Kirk asked.

**"**Everything" Khan answered with the same grin still spread across his face.

Now this answer certainly did annoy the hell out of Kirk, why did he have to be so damn stubborn? Kirk right now just wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, but he knew there was no point going along that line again. God, this guy certainly knew how to wound him up.

**"**Alexander Marcus needed to respond to uncivilized threat in a civilized time, and for that he needed a warrior's mind... my mind, to design weapons and warships" Khan continued as if that moment didn't just happen.

As Khan continued going on about Marcus, he started wondering about in the small space that he had, the girl now had stepped back and sat down on the bench that Khan had just left.

Alicia looked deeply in thought as if she was hearing this for the first time.

**"**You are suggesting the Admiral violated every regulation he vowed to uphold simply because he wanted to exploit your intellect" Spock interrupted

**"**He wanted to exploit my savagery..." Khan glared back at Spock.

Kirk certainly agreed with Spock, no Admiral would go against what this man was on about, but he had to admit Khan was acting very aggressive about all this and what Spock was referring to, also Alicia was now looking at Spock as if she couldn't believe what he was saying, but Kirk was certain he could sense a bit of sadness coming from her as well.

**"... **Intellect alone is useless in a fight, Mr. Spock. You... you can't even break a rule, how would you be expected to break, bone?" Khan continued, with annoyance.

At this moment, Alicia quickly stood up and stepped between Khan and the glass, where Spock was. "Enough" she demanded.

Khan and Spock both stared back at her in shock just as Kirk did himself.

**"**Can we bloody well get down to the main issue at hand... Time is certainly at stake here?" Alicia continued as she glared at both of them in turn.

What could Alicia mean by that? Kirk knew that they were in Klingon space and they could very well pick up on their presence here, but he had a funny feeling that wasn't what she meant. Alicia looked quite frightened when she said that.

Khan's face had turned angry with her first statement, but it quickly softened towards her at the second part, he gently placed his hand against her cheek and smiled at her. "You are quite right..." he said as he continued to slide his hand down to her shoulder and slowly along her arm and took hold of her hand.

One thing Kirk could tell was that Khan was completely taken by Alicia, he seemed really concerned for her. Kirk wondered how these two had met and why Pike's daughter got involved with a person like him... Kirk was doing it again letting his mind wonder over this girl, he couldn't understand why he was so concerned about her, maybe it was because she was now known as Pike's daughter and it seem Spock was just as concerned, as that same look was back.

**"**Captain..." Khan turns back to face Kirk. "Marcus used me to design weapons to help him... To help him realize his vision of a heavily militarized Starfleet. He sent you to use those weapons; to fire my torpedoes at an unsuspecting planet, then he purposely crippled your ship in enemy space, leading to one inevitable outcome" Khan continued as he kept hold of Alicia's hand.

Kirk couldn't believe where Khan was heading with this, it couldn't possibly be true, but his mind was really starting to think that it could be, how else could they explain their wrap drive from suddenly malfunctioning on them, just as they entered Klingon space.

**"**The Klingons would come searching for whoever was responsible and you would have no chance of an escape..." Khan still kept going on.

**"**... So Marcus would finally get what he always wanted, what he always talked about..." Alicia added

Alicia slowly stepped up to the glass right in front of Kirk with an annoyed look and her arm stretched out behind her as she kept hold of Khan's hand. "**War**" Alicia finished with.

Kirk stared back at her but started to shake his head, now that part he wouldn't believe, Starfleet only wanted peace, and he doubt Marcus would go against that, but once again his mind was arguing with itself, it all seemed unreal with the way things had happened with Marcus and the situation they were in now, things were really starting look like that maybe Khan and Alicia were right, but still that didn't make them innocent and that was what really mattered here. **"**No..." he finally added.

Alicia's face quickly changed to, well Kirk couldn't quite place it, it looked like a mixture of anger and concern, and something else... something else he had seen directed at him many times and mainly from... her father, Christopher Pike; disappointment! Chris only did that when Kirk did something that he himself disapproved of.

For a moment, Kirk just stared back at her and remembered the last time Pike had looked at him like that... It was when he was being demoted for his actions on Nibiru. Kirk quickly moved his eyes away from Alicia and turned to look at Khan, and was quickly reminded of what Khan did to the only person who was like a father figure to him.

**"**... I watched you open fire on a room full of unarmed Starfleet officers. You killed them in cold blood" Kirk said angrily.

Khan quickly turned his back on Kirk, but not before Kirk caught the look of pain on his face.

Alicia turned to face Khan with a concern look on her face, she approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder once again, she turned back to Kirk with an annoyed look.

Kirk didn't care if he was upsetting her boyfriend, he deserved it for what he did. Kirk could feel anger building up inside him and he so wanted to release this on the both of them and he knew just how to do it. With that thought in mind he stared back at Alicia and waited to see how she would react to what he was about to say "Including your father, Christopher Pike."

Alicia stared back at him in shock and Kirk knew that she had had no idea of this.

Khan turned his head to glare at Kirk with an angry look before he turned to Alicia, but this time with concern.

Alicia now knew that her father had been in the same room that Khan had opened fire on. "**WHAT?**" Alicia shouted.

Kirk slowly nodded his head towards her, now he wished he hadn't said that, but it had to be done, Alicia should know what her boyfriend was like.

Alicia's eyes started to moist over, but was trying her hardest to hold it back as she continued to take in what Kirk had said.

All this was really starting to make Kirk feel bad especially with the way her eyes were slowly looking Khan's way without looking at him directly and then back to him again, it was as if she was afraid to confront Khan with this.

A tear slowly started to roll down over Alicia's cheek and at that moment she quickly turned herself around to face Khan.

Alicia now had her back to Kirk and Spock, even though Kirk couldn't see her face anymore, he could still see Khan's face, which was completely full of concern and sorrow.

Kirk wondered what would happen next...


	6. As Alicia Gone Crazy?

Kirk continued to watch... As his two prisoners stared back at each other.

Would Alicia take her anger out on Khan or would she just break down even more? Kirk himself would always fight and take his anger out on the one responsible, but neither he or Alicia could take on Khan, or maybe she could, but it seemed to him that Khan could do a lot more than she could.

The thing that did happen completely surprised him, he certainly didn't see this coming.

"**NOO**...!" Alicia shouted with anger before she quickly turned back to face Kirk.

Alicia sure looked like she would strangle him with her eyes. Kirk was so confused on how things had changed so quickly, one moment she was close to breaking down and the next with so much hatred in her eyes. How could she be angrier with him than with her boyfriend? You would think he was the one that had murdered her father.

"**YOU LIE!**" Alicia continued to yell.

Kirk couldn't believe that Alicia had said that, he would never lie about a thing like that. The way Alicia was acting though, it reminded him of someone else that had acted the same way... Him! No, he wasn't going to remember that moment.

Just then Spock took that moment to speak "I can assure you that statement is correct, I was present at the time."

Kirk hated it when Spock spoke with no emotion, especially when it concerned someone close. In a way, though Kirk could understand the reason he was doing it this way... It just might convince the girl once and for all.

Alicia stared back at Spock and her face was slowly changing... Spock might have gotten through to her.

"How can that be?" Alicia asked with confusion as she started raising her hands towards her face... she let her face fall into her hands as if her head was getting too heavy to hold up on its own.

Kirk had to admit he felt that way a lot lately.

Alicia then took that moment to scream really loud... a scream that was quite sensitive to your hearing.

Kirk noticed that everyone in the room now had their hands over their ears and to be honest he was quite close to doing the same.

**"**Alicia," Khan said.

Kirk turned back to see that Khan now had his arms wrapped around Alicia and she was now crying in his arms, at least she had stopped screaming... that certainly had been a high pitched scream, it's a wonder she didn't smash the glass with that scream, even though he knew the screen in front of them wasn't really glass, but the point still stood.

**"**Come on Alice, you're stronger than this" Khan continued to say.

Alicia lifted her head of Khan's chest and looked up at his face. Kirk still couldn't see her face as she had her back to him once again... He realised that they were both back to the moment where Alicia was close to breaking down, except this time Khan slowly stroked her face and it looked like she was calming down as her shoulders slowly relaxed while she started talking even breaths.

"Yes, you're right" Alicia finally said.

Alicia turns back to face Kirk with that mean look on her face again, which didn't suit her... not with her eyes still moist. Kirk couldn't believe how this had all turned out, maybe this was her way of dealing with emotional news... by losing control!

"My father is in a specialist hospital" Alicia stated.

What is Alicia going on about now? Oh he truly wish that was true, anything was better than what really happened, but no, Kirk knew that Pike was gone and there was nothing they could do about that now, except getting Khan and Alicia to face trial.

Kirk realised that they had all gone completely off course again, he knew he had to get this conversation back on track, no matter what the girl thought... let her live in her own world, he didn't really care anyway.

**"**He may be handicapped, but he is very much alive, even in this Stardate" Alicia continued to say.

Kirk completely stared back at Alicia, she really was starting to confuse him once again... Why did she say it like that? It was as if she was talking from another time. Kirk knew she wasn't from Khan's timeline, not if she was Pike's daughter, then what timeline was Alicia from?

**"**So that means, you are lying or having a laugh at my expense and I can't believe you would do either one" Alicia she hadn't finished taking this all out on Kirk.

Kirk couldn't believe they were going through this again, he hated it when she spoke like she knew him. Kirk knew he had to get back on track, but this was really starting to eat him up and he had to find out right now. **"**Tell me this Alicia, how do you know me so well, or claim to?"

Alicia's face turned back to the way it was when they first started speaking... that frightened look.

Khan quickly placed his hand on Alicia's shoulder and she slowly turned to face him."It's O.K Alice, why don't you sit down and I'll deal with the rest of this" Khan said very gently to her.

Alicia slowly nodded her head and after one more look towards Kirk and Spock she sat down on the bench again and pulled her hood back over her head and looked down at her lap.

Kirk didn't like this one bit, he had asked the girl a question... She had totally blanked him and all because of Khan. Kirk had to do something about this and he knew just how to do that... it may upset them both, but what did he care, they were prisoners and should do as he said, not gang up on him like they both just did.

"Captain, it makes no real difference who we are, the main matter here is Admiral Marcus" Khan stated.

Kirk knew he was right, but he had to let him know that this was not his show and that he was in command here."You listen to me, I'm the one that asks the questions, not the other way around" Kirk stated angrily.

"Then ask me your questions, Captain... While we watch your crew die one by one" Khan stated with cockiness.

Khan was really starting to get his wind up, especially when Kirk felt that he could be right and also Khan was the only one who knew what was going on, even if he didn't quite believe him but knew he should listen.

"Marcus took my crew from me, he used my friends to control me... I tried to hide them in the very weapons I had designed, but I was discovered and I had no choice but to escape without them. I had every reason to believe that Marcus killed every single one of the people I hold most dear" Khan continued when Kirk didn't answer.

Alicia had lifted her head up again and looking over at Khan as he took a breather. Kirk kind of felt sorry for what Khan went through, but the other question he had, was where did the girl fit into all this? Khan had spoken as if the girl wasn't even with him at that time and if that was true, when did they meet? It must have been sometime ago for them both to have bonded in this way.

**"**So I responded in kind, my crew is my family Kirk, is there anything you would not do for your family?" Khan said with sadness in his eyes.

In a way Kirk did understand what Khan meant... His crew were like family to him too, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them. So would he have done what Khan did to get that revenge? Maybe once upon a time, but that was one thing this girl's father taught him, revenge wasn't always the answer.

Khan let a tear slide down his cheeks and it didn't seem to bother him that everyone had their eyes glued on him, including Alicia who stood up and wrapped her arms around him and he gently lowered his head onto her shoulder. Alicia took this moment to glare back at Kirk with that mean look on her face once again.

"Now you know why he did what he did" Alicia stated.

**"**Yes, Khan has told his side of the story, but he failed to mention where you, Miss Pike comes into this story" Spock stated in his own words.

Spock was right, they needed to know where she came from and how she got caught up with Khan.

At that moment Khan lifted his head back up from Alicia's shoulder and looked towards Spock and that emotional moment he just had, had dropped off his face completely. "Alicia has nothing to do with all this... she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time" Khan quickly added.

Now that part Kirk couldn't believe and from the look on Alicia's face, it proved she was still hiding something, he was so going to find this out, So Kirk stepped towards the glass, but before he could speak he heard a bleep to signal that the comm over the room was receiving a message.

**"**Proximity alert sir... That's a ship at wrap heading right for us" Sulu's voice bloomed all around the room.

**"**Klingons!" Kirk stated with worry, knowing that his voice would carry on back through the comm link.

**"**No, Kirk... We both know who it is!" Khan quickly added with haste.

**"**I don't think so, it's not coming at us from Kronos" Sulu responded.

Kirk knew there was a chance that Khan was right and this was starting to scare him a little, he had never gone up against an Admiral, except Christopher Pike, but that was different with him. Kirk hardly knew Admiral Marcus, except from the things that Khan and Alicia had just told him, at least he was soon going to find out if they were telling the truth or not.

Kirk quickly turned around and tried his best not to show how scared he was, he knew he was failing as he felt his breathing getting heavier, but he just ignored it and started to speak to the officer who was on duty in the brig. "Lieutenant, move Khan and Alicia to sickbay and stick six security officers on them"

**"**Yes Captain" The security Officer quickly responded.

Kirk started rushing out of the brig, but as he reached the main doors he stopped dead which nearly caused Spock to rush into him, but he somehow managed to hold his balance and Kirk turned around to face him.

**"**Captain..." Spock stated in confusion.

Kirk knew he had to get to the bridge and deal with this, but he also realised he couldn't keep Khan and Alicia together... who knew what they could plot together! "Spock, bring the girl to the bridge" he ordered.

**"**Captain, is that wise...?"

**"**Just do it, will you?" Kirk quickly interrupted Spock.

Kirk quickly turned back around and continued rushing out the brig, along the corridor thinking about how he was going to deal with Admiral Marcus, but one thing he did know... he was in a lot of trouble and for some reason he was very scared and not just for himself... his crew, as Khan had put it... his family!


	7. Truth or Lies!

As Kirk made his way away from the brig, he could hear Alicia's voice, above all, the others.

**"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOU"**

**"UNHAND HER AT ONCE****" **Khan shouted.

Kirk could hear that a fight had broken out, which made him stand still, he slowly turned around to see Khan knock two security personally to the floor and at the same time Alicia knocked another one to floor as well. Great, just what he needed at this moment, he better get back in there and control the situation... if he could that was.

Spock rushed into action and grabbed Khan by the neck and Kirk knew Spock was using the nerve pinch hold on him, which made Khan scream as he slowly falls onto his knees.

**"NO SPOCK, DON'T" **Alicia continued to yell.

Alicia rushed over to stop him, but Spock just reached his other hand out and held her back by pushing her backwards.

Kirk wondered why Alicia didn't just push his arm away... he knew she could easily have done if she wanted to, but she just stood there staring at Spock while he continued with the nerve pinch. Kirk couldn't believe that Khan was still conscious, he knew from experiences that the Vulcan nerve pinch was very painful, but he knew it only lasted for a second or two, before it knocks you unconscious completely, but Khan was still screaming in pain.

**"PLEASE STOP!"**

Kirk could tell that Alicia was starting to get emotional again, he started to make his way back into the brig; he had to stop Spock before he got too carried away, but Kirk stopped himself when he saw a few more security rush over and Spock slowly let go of Khan as they grabbed hold of him and started to drag him away.

**"**I can't believe you did that."

Kirk could only just hear Alicia's voice, she was certainly very upset, but at least the situation was now under control, so he turned around again and took off for the bridge, hoping he would make it there before the other ship did.

**"LIKE HELL I AM. THE CAPTAIN CAN GO AND ...!"**

That was the last thing Kirk heard Alicia shout as he continued running down the corridor, he had more important things to worry about than what she thought of him or Khan for that matter. In a way, he felt sorry for leaving Spock to deal with the two of them, but he seemed to have the matter in hand. That was one thing about the girl, she sure had a lot of anger built up inside her and was determined to get it all out. Kirk still didn't know anything about Alicia except that she wasn't from this timeline, the question is... What timeline? He so hated this timeline thing, it seemed to follow him wherever he went.

As Kirk rushed into the turbo lift, he stood there impatiently; he hated not moving, it made his mind wonder and he certainly didn't want to think at this moment, he worked better when on the move. At last the lift doors opened and he rushed out as Sulu announced he was back on the bridge.

"Captain on the bridge."

Kirk started shouting commands straight away as he made his way to the centre of the bridge. **"**ETA of the incoming ship."

**"**20 seconds sir" Sulu responded quickly.

Kirk sat down in his chair and looked straight at ahead at the viewscreen, he just prayed and hoped that Khan was wrong, but he knew deep down that Khan would be right and he was about to come face to face against Admiral Marcus and he sure didn't know how to handle this.

At that moment, Kirk heard the lift doors open behind him and he didn't need to turn around to see who it was, he could hear her well enough.

"Get your hands off me" Alicia continued to be aggressive. "I'm so getting fed up with being treated like this."

A grin quickly appeared on Kirk's face, but he let that vanish as he turned in his seat to see Spock standing next to Alicia who was trying to push herself away from the two security personnel holding on to her, one thing Kirk knew was, if this girl really wanted to get away from them, she easily could, so that meant she was just acting this way for attention. "I'm sure you have been treated far worse."

"I just didn't expect my own family to treat me this way" Alicia stated as she continued to push herself away from the security officers.

Kirk just sat there staring back at Alicia in shock and confusion, this girl sure knew how to keep surprising him and making him even more confused."Now, what the hell are you going on about?"

The crew on the bridge quickly turned to face Kirk.

Kirk realised he had used the same quote that the girl had used on him and that wasn't the best language to use on the bridge... this proved how worked up he was over this whole situation.

"3 Seconds Captain" Sulu suddenly announced.

Kirk knew there was no time for this, he had to get his head back in gear. "Take the prisoner over there" Kirk nods his head over to the left side of the view screen. He didn't want Admiral Marcus seeing her straight away, he first had to see the situation for himself.

As the security officers dragged Alicia kicking and screaming to the side of the viewscreen, Kirk slowly took a deep breath... "Shields up" he ordered and mentally kicked himself for, not thinking of that sooner.

"Aye, Sir!"

Kirk knew the time had come when he saw another ship stop right in front of them on the viewing screen, his eyebrows shot up wide as he came face to face with this more advanced ship than he had ever seen... it looked like the Enterprise, but so much bigger and with extra added parts that they didn't have on his ship.

"Their hailing us, sir."

Kirk for a moment there was lost in his own world and almost didn't catch what Uhura said, he almost shook his head to try and clear it, but he held firm and quickly turned to face her. "On screen! Broadcast ship-wide for the record" he added as an afterthought.

Kirk quickly looked back at the screen as it changed and now he was looking at the very person he wish he wasn't.

"Captain Kirk" Admiral Marcus stated as soon as he appeared on the screen.

Kirk could feel his throat getting tight and realised he had been holding his breath, so he let out all the air that was caught up in his lungs and quickly tried to look professional, even though he doubted it was working. "Admiral Marcus, I wasn't excepting you. That's one hell of a ship you've got there."

**"**And I wasn't expecting to have word that you had took Harrison into custody, under violation of your orders" Marcus got straight to business.

Marcus for some reason hadn't mentioned the girl, (Kirk had sent word that Harrison and the girl were now in custody) it seemed that the admiral was more interested in Khan. The question was did Admiral Marcus know who Alicia was? Either way, he wasn't going to mention her himself, not just yet anyway... he wanted to play this out, to see how it would go. "Well, we err … had to improvise when our wrap core unexpectedly multifunctioned, but you already knew that, didn't you sir?" he quickly added, hoping Marcus hadn't picked up on his hesitation.

**"**I don't take your meaning" Marcus asked with annoyance.

Marcus had taken that the way Kirk thought he would... now this proved that Khan had been right about Admiral Marcus damaging his ship, but Kirk knew he couldn't state that fact, not when Marcus had a more advanced ship. "Well that's why your here, isn't it, to exist with our repairs. Why else would the head of Starfleet, personally come to the edge of the neutral Zone?"

**"**Captain, their scanning our ship" Sulu suddenly interrupted with a quiet tone.

Kirk continued to keep his eyes on Marcus "Is there something I can help you find, sir?" he asked even though he knew the answer.

**"**Where is your prisoner, Kirk?" Marcus demanded.

"Under Starfleet regulation, I'm planning on returning_ 'Khan'_ to earth to stand trail" Kirk had said the name with a much higher tone to hint to Marcus that he knew who the prisoner really was.

"Oh shit, you talked to him..." Admiral Marcus stared to frown and rub his forehead as if thinking what to say next.

Kirk was trying his hardest not to look at Alicia during this time as he knew that Marcus would pick up on his distraction.

**"**It was exactly what I was planning on sparing you from..." Marcus continued explaining in his words what he had done.

All this conformed exactly what Khan said about him... Marcus was saying it like he had made a mistake, but the fact remained he just wanted Khan. Kirk thought maybe he could play around with this a little, to see if Marcus will come out about Alicia. "And what exactly would you like me do with the rest of his crew, sir? Fire them at the Klingons, end 72 lives, start a war in the process"

Marcus just continued going on about how dangerous it would be if they woke up the rest of his crew... Kirk knew that Marcus was completely avoiding what he was saying and continued going on about how bad Khan was, but still no mention of Alicia!

"... Khan and his crew were condemned to death as war criminals and now it's our duty to carry out that sentience, before anyone else dies because of them"

"**YOU LIAR"** Alicia quickly shouted as she threw herself across the bridge to stand in front of the viewing screen... yelling back at Admiral Marcus as he just stared at her in shock. **"**You're just saying that to try and cover your own skin**"**

Everything all of a sudden went very quiet... You could have heard a pin drop at that very moment.

Kirk wasn't sure what to do now, he slowly stood up wishing that Alicia had kept quite.

"**You!**... What the hell are you doing on that ship?" Marcus demanded.

So Admiral Marcus did know who Alicia was, Kirk was hoping now to have some answers, but as Marcus slowed moved his eyes back to him, Kirk knew he wasn't going to get what he wanted.

"Kirk, where the hell did she come from?"

"I thought maybe you could answer that one, sir" Kirk watched as Marcus glared back at Alicia once again.

"So Miss Rand... "

Kirk couldn't believe what he just heard Marcus say... she was suppose to be Pike's daughter; had Alicia been lying to him? Did she also lie about being from another stardate too? It was strange though as it looked like Khan had told the truth, but not Alicia (if that was even her name) and he thought it would have been the other way around. Did Alicia lie to him on purpose? Or did she really believe that was who she was... the way she had acted earlier about Pike's death looked very real, she truly did look devastated, but Kirk had to admit that moment hadn't lasted very long. Did Alicia just make all this up for attention? Or was there a different meaning behind what she had said.

"... You live again" Marcus continued to say.

What did Marcus mean? Was it just a figure of speech, or was there another reason for him to say that. This was just getting even more confusing and that was one thing Kirk couldn't stand... especially when his crews life's were at state.

He was determined to get to the bottom of all this, but Kirk knew that would only happen if they made it past Admiral Marcus and his advanced ship.


	8. One Strange Girl

"No thanks to you!" Alicia finally broke the silence.

Admiral Marcus stared straight at Alicia, (if that was even her real name) she was staring right back at him. One thing Kirk knew now was that this so-called Alicia had lied to him all along, the thing was he had expected Khan to do that, to try and defend himself, but it was Alicia after all that he had to be more aware of.

"So you and Khan, hey... I didn't see that one coming." Marcus said with amusement.

"He's more of a man than you will ever be!"

Now he didn't agree with that one, not that he thought Marcus was any better; a better man didn't go killing innocent people to get revenge. Yes, he knew that people could get very angry and could think about killing other people in revenge... like how he felt about Khan, but he doubt he could ever really do it, he had learned from the only man he had known as a father figure that revenge wasn't always the answer.

**"**Well, now that you are, alive... once again, I will add...!"

Marcus nodded his head towards someone... which Kirk knew was a signal to one of his crew members, he wondered what command that had been?

Alicia turned to face him with a puzzled look on her face and Kirk was sure he could see a little bit of fear in there too; as if she knew what Marcus had just commanded and she was frightened of that.

"I feel strange," Alicia said in a weak voice.

A few lights started swirling around Alicia and Kirk now knew she was about to be transported over to Marcus's ship. Kirk knew what Marcus would do to her once she was over there, Kirk knew he had to think fast, so he quickly turned to Sulu. "Can you …?"

Alicia had started rushing passed Sulu before she falls to her knees right at the step that was below where Kirk was standing and she had started screaming really loudly again like she had done in the brig.

Alicia's screams were really getting sensitive to your ears once again. Kirk had never known transportation to be so painful.

Out the corner of his eye, Kirk could that Sulu was suffering as badly as he was, but he was trying his hardest to concentrate on what was being said at the same time; Sulu's fingers were flying across the screen in front of him, as if he could guess what Kirk was asking him.

Whatever Sulu was doing must have worked as the lights around Alicia had slowly started vanishing and she had suddenly stopped screaming. Now she was holding her head in her hands and leaning her face right down to the floor. Kirk couldn't help but kneel down beside Alicia and check she was alright, he don't know what the hell Marcus was doing for her to suffer like this? "Are you alright?" Kirk reached out, gently placing his hand on the back of her head and he felt her slowly nod her head.

"Good work, Mr Sulu," he said as he turned to face him, but Sulu was just staring at Alicia in confusion.

"I didn't do anything; nothing seemed to be working" Sulu stated as he continued staring at Alicia.

That meant Marcus must have stopped the transport before it took effect. He must have found somehow of conflicting pain from one ship to another. Kirk took that moment to face Marcus, like the rest of his crew, were doing and was surprised by the look he saw on Admiral Marcus face; it was the look of shock as he looked at Alicia to the crew around him.

"What the hell happened?"

"Don't know, sir. I'm looking into it." A member of Marcus's crew stated.

This was really confusing Kirk; he wanted to know the exact same question.

"Well, try again!"

"I can't, something is blocking us from doing so." The same crew member stated.

"The source of the problem is coming from the Enterprise." Another crew added.

Now, this really did confuse Kirk. He took that moment to look over the bridge at all his crew members and all of them was turned away from their monitors looking just as shocked at that statement. Who could be stopping Marcus from doing whatever it was that he was doing to Alicia? If it wasn't his crew members that were stopping this, there was only one other person on his bridge, that could have any idea what Marcus was trying to do. Kirk turns to look back at Alicia who was now looking at him with a relief look on her face.

"What just happened?" Alicia asked as she stared up at him.

How could Alicia say that when she was the only one who could have stopped that? Kirk had to admit, it didn't look like she was lying, he remembered though that Alicia hadn't been straight with him from the beginning, so how could he believe her?

"That sure was very painful." Alicia continued to say.

"What the hell are you doing, Kirk?" Marcus's demanding voice suddenly echoed around the bridge.

Whatever Alicia said, it still didn't change the situation they were all still in. Kirk stood up and looked back at Admiral Marcus who had a mean look on his face. Kirk knew he had to do something before this got out of hand, his crew meant everything to him and the only way to keep them safe was to get them back to Earth, somehow! "I have no idea what just happened, Sir."

"I will ask you one last time son, lower your shields, tell me where Khan is?" Marcus demanded.

"He's in Engineering sir, but I'll have him and Miss Rand moved to the transporter room right away."

"I'll take it from here," Admiral Marcus said as he ended the transmission.

As soon as Marcus's face disappeared completely from view, Kirk slowly let out a deep breath, even though he knew this was far from being over, but at least he had Marcus calmed down for now, no thanks to Alicia.

Kirk quickly turned to face Sulu. "Do not drop those shields, Mr. Sulu," he demanded quickly.

"Aye, Captain!"

Alicia was now sitting on the step below him staring at him in shock, she now thought that he was just going to hand them both over, but he wasn't going to do that, Kirk was going to complete this mission and get both of them back to Starfleet.

"Sickbay to Bridge!" McCoy's voice echoed around the Bridge.

Bones certainly didn't sound very happy about something, he had almost forget that the transmission with Marcus had been sent all over the ship and that Khan had heard everything... great just what Kirk needed.

Kirk leaned down and pressed the button on his chair. "Yes, McCoy."

"What the hell is going on up there?" McCoy demanded in an angry tone.

Bones really was all worked up, which wasn't new for him; he always got worked up over things that weren't going his way. Kirk could also hear a lot of noise going on in the background, he could guess that Khan was now attacking the six security personal he had placed to watch him.

"Bones …"

"… I have one maniac, who is going berserk in here." McCoy interrupted.

"Alice, are you alright?" Khan's voice suddenly come through the comm.

Kirk could just imagine how Bones was dealing with this, in the same way he dealt with everything else... this almost made him smile, but he managed to hold it in as he thought what Khan could do; he could very easily take on the whole ship single handedly. "Alicia, is going to be alright."

"Let me hear Alice's voice." Khan demanded.

Alicia was slowly trying to stand up and as she was doing this she was looking right back at him, it looked like she was asking permission to speak, if only she had done that earlier, then she could of avoided whatever pain she just went through and Khan wouldn't have gone mental with his security team. Kirk nodded his head towards her and she slowly approached him until she was standing beside him.

"Dam it, Jim. Do has he asks will you, he's making a mess of my Med bay?" McCoy voiced boomed through the comm.

"I'm O.K, but I sure don't know what the hell happened." Alicia stated.

This almost made Kirk bust out laughing, but just about managed to hold it in. Bones sure could entertain him without even trying to. Kirk snapped out of it when he realised what Alicia had said. He wanted to know himself what had happened. Did Alicia have some sort of power or something? Even though that sounded really insane to him, but Kirk did know one thing about this girl, she had been acting insane since he brought her aboard. **"**McCoy, Status report!" Kirk pulled himself back into Captain mode, he had to know if Khan had calmed down yet, it sure sounded a lot quieter in Sickbay now, but what he was hearing could be conceiving, so he needed Bones to confirm this for him.

"Everything is calming down now, just a few slightly confused people in here, and me being one of them." McCoy stated before he disconnected the comm link.

Alicia continued to stare at him, Kirk was determined now to finally get answers that had been held back because of Khan. Well that was until he saw Spock approach him and knew that he wanted answers of his own, but not from Alicia... from him! He somehow had to get his mind back to the matter at hand.

"Captain, giving your awareness of Khan's true location in the Med Bay, could I know the details of your plan?" Spock calmly asked

"I told Marcus we were bringing two fugitives back to Earth... That is what we are going to do." He said as he continued looking back at Alicia, who now had fear written across her face with a hint of confusion. Kirk was going to do the right thing; she and Khan were going to face trail... then he would finally found out the truth once and for all.

Kirk turned back to the arm of his chair and pressed the communications button and just prayed that Chekov had fixed the wrap core enough to get them back to Earth. "Mr Chekov, can we wrap?"

"Sir, if we go to wrap, we run the risk of seriously damaging the core." Chekov said after a deep breath.

"Can we do it?"

"Technically, yes, but I would not advise it, sir." Chekov stated with fear in his voice.

"Noted!"

He didn't really want to risk it, but he didn't have any other options... if he wanted to get his crew back to Earth that was. He cut the communication this time and turned straight towards Sulu, he wasn't going to waste anymore time. "Mr Sulu, set course for Earth."

"Yes sir."

Spock took that moment to return to his seat without another word,... Kirk decided to do the same, but to do this he had to walk around Alicia who was standing right next to him. Somehow she must of read his mind, as she now stepped backwards to let him past.

"Thank you!" Alicia stated as Kirk walked by.

What Alicia could be thanking him for; he might not have handed her over to Marcus, but he was still sending her to face trail, he supposed that Alicia was grateful not to be handed over to Marcus... Because who knows what he would do to her; properly kill her for what she knew? Just what Marcus would do to his crew if he didn't get them out of here.

Kirk slowly sat down in his seat as he looked back over at Sulu who was facing the main screen with his hand on the puncher waiting for his command. "Punch it!"

Once they were at wrap, Kirk finally took a deep breath and relaxed once again, he just knew there was one thing left to deal with; who the hell Alicia really was? Kirk turned to face Alicia, who was looking out the main screen, there was a little smiling forming at the corner of her mouth, but as he watched her, it never got any wider... Alicia looked to be in her own world, he wondered what was on her mind at this moment? **"**So are you finally going to tell me who you really are?" He calmly asked.

Alicia continued staring out the main screen; either she didn't hear Kirk or just wanted to delay time.

"Miss Rand!" Kirk decided to call her.

"Yes sir." Alicia slowly acknowledged.

Now Kirk didn't expect that answer as Alicia turned her head to face him. She quickly placed her hand over her month in shock; must of realised what she just said.

"Sorry Captain, it's just been so long since I last heard you call me that."

That one word still kept going through Kirk's mind; insane! What could she be talking about? He didn't know if to believe her or not, but the main issue that still stood. **"**Are you still lying to me?" Kirk demanded.

"I have never lied to you." Alicia stated.

"Then what is your real name, Miss Pike or Miss Rand?"

The whole bridge had now gone all quite and Kirk knew they were shocked to hear the name Pike; their last Captain. He just continued to stare at Alicia as her smile finally got wider as she started to grin back at him, he didn't find this very amusing at all; he just wanted answers, truthful answers!

"Janice Rand is my Starfleet alias; Starfleet can't know who I really am." Alicia said with worry.

"Why...! Are you ashamed of being a Pike?" he asked. Kirk would have loved to have been Christopher Pike's real son.

"No, It was what my parents wanted."

Kirk couldn't believe that, he knew Christopher wouldn't try to disown his own daughter, unless he had a very good reason, but still he couldn't believe what Alicia was saying, she must be lying to him again. Even though it didn't look like she was lying... It never did; Alicia looked just as sad, her eyes were starting to water again. This was really starting to confuse Kirk even more; If Alicia didn't want Starfleet to know who she was, then why was she telling him?


	9. A Time Not Forgotten

"Sorry Captain, I just don't like talking about my father," Alicia answered very quickly.

Alicia started to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. In a way Kirk knew how she felt; it also brought back painful memories for him, every time he mentioned Pike's name.

"My Parents had their reasons for doing this and I have always respected them."

What reasons could parents have to disown their own children; Kirk knew that he didn't like talking about his real father, but it didn't mean he would stop being a Kirk... even though sometimes he wish he wasn't a Kirk, but that was only because the way people acted around him, expressly the media. "Tell me this Miss Pike, if you don't want Starfleet to find out who you are, why are you telling me and everyone else on this bridge?"

"I trust you all..."

How could Alicia trust all of them, she didn't know all of us? And even if she did know him, like she claimed to; Alicia must know he would do the right thing and that was to tell Starfleet everything he knew, expressly with her being involved with a murderer.

Alicia turned all the way around and looked at everyone on the bridge; some of Kirk's crew made eye contact with her and others didn't notice her looking, as they were engrossed in their monitors.

"… Even though some of your crew are different and your bridge is different too..." Alicia continued to say as she slowly made a complete turn until her eyes landed on Kirk again with a smile on her face.

Kirk noticed that Alicia did seem a lot more relaxed, as if she was glad to be where she was; she truly must be insane to be happy around the people that was sending her to face trial.

"… But if their your crew, then you must trust them completely." Alicia finally said.

What was this to do with his crew? Of course, he trusts them, but once again this was about Alicia, not him. Kirk realised then that Alicia was comparing herself to him and it got him thinking about what sort of relationship they had, expressly the relationship that was going on in her head anyway.

"And if you trust them, then so do I."

Alicia was now really starting to creep him out, expressly with the way she was looking at him; it was as if she had so much fate in him, as if he wasn't sending her to face trial.

**"**The best family, I could ever have had!"

Alicia spoke as she was talking about the past, but Kirk knew that certainly wasn't the truth; it might have been the past for her if it had happened in her life. So what he had thought of early was more the true here; Alicia was from the future, but the one question was how far into the future. "Tell me this Miss Pike, what stardate are you talking of?"

"It was 2268 that I travelled with you; I was your Yeoman on the Enterprise."

'Yeoman' Did they have them in the future? Kirk knew that 'Yeoman' was a name that Starfleet had been discussing a lot lately; they wanted one to be on every Starship within the next few years and not just him, but a lot of other captains dismissed it. Why would a Captain need a Yeoman, to assistant him when they had plenty of crew members to do that? The reason Kirk turned it down was because he didn't want anyone getting that close to his personal side, that was how he could be the captain he was; without no-one knowing what he was truly thinking. He respected and loved his crew, but he didn't want anyone to get that close to him. There was only one person aboard this ship that knew him that well, but he knew 'Bones' wouldn't discuss this to the crew. "I thought that position would be male, expressly if the Captain was."

Alicia started smirking at him and almost giggled, but somehow managed to hold it in. Kirk wondered what was so amusing about that and wondered what Alicia would come out with.

"Do you really see another man picking up and fussing after you?" Alicia said with an amusing grin plastered over her face.

Kirk heard one of his crew members gasp out loud and he saw that everyone had turned to stare at that person; who happened to be behind him. Kirk didn't have to turn around, to know who it was, but he still did anyway.

The person who was certain of attention at the moment had a hand over their mouth and was looking at Spock, but quickly moved her eyes over to him.

"Sorry, Captain!" Uhura quickly said as her cheeks start to glow a little.

Now that was a new look for her, he had never had the pleasure to see her like that before. Kirk couldn't help but smirk back at her as he realised that was exactly what Spock was doing, but in a more converse way, as if trying to stop himself. He saw Uhura slowly move her hand and she smiled towards him, but as he smiled back, he realised that it wasn't him Uhura was smiling at. her eyes were looking up over his head; it was Alicia. Kirk took that moment to turn his chair back around.

Alicia was smiling back at Uhura, but there was something different about her eyes; they looked very content. Kirk could only guess that Uhura and she must have become good friends in the future, that's if that future still existed; It was like the older Spock said to him... the timeline had been altered, because of him and Nero, and maybe because of her now too. "As I once said to an old acquaintance of mine; Coming back in time, changing history; it's cheating!" Kirk couldn't help adding.

Alicia's smile quickly vanished from her face as she continued to look back at Uhura. What he had said must have meant something to her; something that brought back memories. Alicia slowly moved her head down to look at him and now her face showed the look of concern, but then she slowly shook her head, as if trying shake the memories away and she just stared back at him with a small smile, that he knew was fake, to how she truly felt.

"I'm not trying to change history, even though I know I have, just by being here."

"That statement doesn't make sense, you must know you have changed history. So you saying that you are not trying, is incorrect. With you …" Spock's voice came from behind Kirk.

As Spock went on about Alicia not making sense. Kirk tried his hardest not to burst out laughing; he knew what Alicia meant, but this was Spock all over.

Alicia was grinning back Kirk, as if she knew very well what he was thinking. Kirk couldn't help lifting his eyebrow and signalling to her about what he thought of Spock and it looked like Alicia knew exactly what he meant. This moment he had with Alicia didn't last long though as she now moved her head towards Spock who now happened to be standing beside his chair.

"...Spocky..." Alicia interrupted him.

What the hell had Alicia just called him? Kirk noticed that Spock had stop speaking and was now staring at her in confusing, this certainly amused Kirk no end and the rest of the crew it would seem. Kirk had to admit he had never seen that look on Spock's face before and he couldn't help but smirk at the two of them. Alicia was grinning herself, as if she knew this would get Spock all confused... If that was even possible!

"… My correct name is …"

"…I know you have always hated that, but I've always hated your non-amusement side. So we're even!" Alicia interrupted him with her own comeback.

Spock started to look speechless as he continued staring back at Alicia. Wow Kirk was truly starting to like this girl even more; it seemed that Alicia had really gotten to know his crew and seemed to have nicknames for them, Kirk knew he would love to hear the rest of these names, especially the one she had for him.

"Besides that you are the best father anyone could ever have." Alicia continued to say.

Alicia looked like she was trying to hold herself back from Spock; It looked to Kirk that she was ready to throw herself into Spock's arms. Kirk took that moment to stand up and wandered what Alicia meant by that, but he was interrupted by the main doors as they swished open and a voice yelled out to him.

"**CAPTAIN**..."

Kirk turned around to see Carol Marcus rushing over to him.

"Permission to come on the bridge?" She quickly asked without waiting for that permission.

What could Carol want on the bridge? Kirk looked straight at her waiting for her to get her breath back.

"He's going to catch up with us and when he does, the only thing that will stop him from destroying this ship; is me! So your going to have to let me talk to him."

For a moment there Kirk didn't know who she was talking about, but then it quickly hit him of the situation they were still in, but at the same time he couldn't believe what he was hearing, no ship can catch up to another ship at warp and if Carol Marcus was who she said she was, she should know this herself. "Carol, were at wrap, he can't catch up with us."

As Carol Marcus continued arguing with him about how advance her father's ship was in wrap, he heard another voice interrupt them.

"Captain... I'm getting a reading I don't understand."

Kirk turned to face Sulu, who was staring at him with fear and this just might convince him that Admiral Marcus could do exactly what his daughter just said.

All of a sudden, he felt the ship shake, violently which caused him to fall sideways as someone fall against him, he tried his best to reach out and hold onto something, but all he could feel was the person he was falling against. He hit the floor, half on top of the other person; which he presumed to be Alicia and another person land on top of him, which just had to be Carol... In another situation he would have loved this and would have made flirty comments about a threesome. But Kirk knew this was certainly not that situation.

The ship continued shaking violently around him. Was this the end; had he finally failed his crew? Kirk knew this wasn't the time to feel sorry himself, this was not the end yet, not while he was still breathing, and while he was, he knew he would protect his crew right to the moment he took his last breath.

Carol Marcus took that moment to move away from him as Kirk turned his head to check she was alright, but he also realised that Alicia hadn't moved at all. Kirk quickly turned back around to see her laying flat down with her face pressed down against the floor. "**Alicia!**"

Alicia still didn't move, so Kirk reached out and turned her around in his arms. Alicia slowly opened her eyes, but at that moment she chose to scream her head off again. Kirk nearly dropped her at the sudden unexpected scream, but he realised it wasn't as loud as before, but maybe that was because of the noise and the situation his ship was in at this moment.


	10. Alicia's Disappearing Act

Alicia's screams only lasted a few seconds then she slowly trailed her eyes to Kirk's eyes and he could tell by looking into her eyes that she was in pain, but as he looked her over, he couldn't see injuries, none that were visible anyway.

"Allow me, Captain!"

Carol Marcus came up beside him and pressed her beautiful body up against his, as she tried to take Alicia from him, oh how he'd love to get even closer to this body... No, he should stop thinking along those lines, he had his crew to think about at this moment.

The Enterprise continued to jerk about and Kirk quickly handed Alicia over to her and he quickly stood up taking in the situation around him; Sulu was trying his hardest to keep the ship steady, but with Marcus's ship firing on them it wasn't helping.

Kirk knew he had to get his head in gear if he wanted to save his crew and the ship. He looked out the main screen and noticed they had dropped out of warp, he hoped and prayed they were still very close to Earth. "Where are we?" He asked Sulu, trying to keep his voice calm, but he knew he had failed.

"Systems are all over the place, can't get a persist reading. I'd say that knocked us out of the Solar System altogether." Sulu responded as he continued to try and control the ship the best he could.

Kirk started cursing to himself, great just what they needed; they were nowhere near Earth now. Kirk knew he still had to deal with the situation, first things first; the damage of the ship so far at least and see what they had left to deal with. "Damage report!" He asked as he looked around the bridge.

The crew started flying reports one by one as the ship continued jerking them about. Kirk knew there wasn't much time left for the crew and somehow they had to get away from here, away from Marcus and his advanced ship. "Evasive manoeuvres! Get us out of here, right now."

At that very moment he was thrown forward and somehow managed to grab hold of the railing behind his chair to steady himself, the next minute someone was standing right up close to him, he just assumed they had gotten thrown the same way he did, so he continue to move around the person, but the person continued to stay close to him and as he was about to step back to find out who it was, the person started yelling at him.

"**CAPTAIN, STOP!**".

He realised it was Carol, but Kirk knew he didn't have time for whatever she wanted to say, his main priority right now was getting them out of this mess.

"Everyone on this ship is going to die, if you don't let me speak to him," Carol stepped right up into his face, determined to get his attention.

Kirk knew that the ship wouldn't get away, not with Marcus's ship being 10 times faster than the Enterprise. Maybe Carol could convince her father to stop firing, especially if he knew his daughter was on board.

He quickly turned around to face Uhura, who was looking their way, thinking the same thing, but was waiting for the order first. "Uhura, hail them!" Uhura did almost instantly before he even finished what he was saying. Kirk turned back to Carol and nodded his head, giving her permission to speak.

"Sir, it's me; It's Carol!" She said while turning around to face the viewing screen.

A few more blasts continued to hit the ship and Kirk wondered if the man was that insane, that he wouldn't even stop for his own daughter, but just then he felt no more hits to the ship, and everything went quiet, not a sound was heard except deep intakes of breath, him included. Marcus then appeared on the viewing screen with a look of shock and confusing and a hint of anger.

"What are you doing on that ship?" Admiral Marcus demanded.

As Carol started talking to her father about the situation and trying to convince her father, not to attack the Enterprise, he slowly looked around the bridge, at his crew; most of them were at their stations watching what was going on, others were still dealing with things on their controls, at the same time he saw Alicia was sitting on the step beside his chair with her head resting back on the beam, which was behind her; eyes traveling from Marcus to his with that same fear, which was surely showing through his own eyes.

"Actually Carol, I won't."

After that comment from Admiral Marcus, Kirk turned back to the woman in front of him and saw a familiar set of lights swirling around her and knew that Marcus was doing the same thing he did to Alicia earlier. "Can you intercept the transport signal?" Even as Kirk said this, he knew the answer would be the same as before, so he turned straight to Alicia, hoping she could help Carol the same way she did herself.

"No, sir!" Sulu responded.

"Please, stop this Alicia?" He tried asking nicely, but for some reason she just stared back in confusion.

"And how do I do that?" She responded with her own question as she turned back to watch Carol.

Carol started rushing past him as the lights continued to swirl around her; trying to confuse the signal of the transporter, but as the bridge doors opened to allow he to leave, she just slowly vanished instead.

"Captain Kirk, without authorization and in league with the fugitive known as John Harrison, you and your crew went rogue in enemy territory, leaving me no choice but to hunt you down and destroy you."

Kirk continued to watch as the bridge doors slowly closed again, but as soon as he heard and understood what Marcus said, he knew this was is last chance to plead with him, if only to save his crew. "**WAIT, SIR!**" Kirk quickly yelled, while turning back to the viewing screen; somehow he had to get Marcus to listen, he had to do something and he was running out of options and fast. He rushed over to the viewscreen as fast as his legs could carry him... he knew the whole bridge was watching him and he was the only one who could possibly save them.

"Lock Phasers!" Marcus continued giving orders to his crew, annoying Kirk completely.

"**WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!**" He continued yelling; Kirk knew he couldn't give up.

Kirk now stood right in front of the view screen, with his back to the crew, but he realised Marcus still wasn't going to listen or look his way, but damn it, he had to get him to listen.

"I'll make this quick. Target all the torpedoes on the renegade's bridge." Marcus continued with his demands.

"Sir, my crew was only following my orders. I take full responsibility for my actions, but they were mine and mine alone. If I transmit Khan's exact locations to you now, all I ask is that you spare them." Kirk was glad that he now had Marcus attention, he just hoped and prayed that it would work, but as Marcus just stared back at him, he knew he had to continue to beg him; his crew was his main priority, they had to survive, even if he didn't.

"Please sir, I'll do anything you want, just let them live." Kirk tried one last time.

To start with he thought Marcus was going to do just that; as for a moment there was a little bit of concern in his eyes, but it didn't seen to last, he still went on demanding not to leave any witnesses to what he is up to and what he is doing right now.

"Fire!" Marcus gave his last command before the screen went blank.

Kirk slowly turned to face his crew, he couldn't believe this was happening, he had only done what he thought was right; his crew didn't deserve to go down with him. As he started looking at each member of his crew, he could only say one thing; "I'm sorry!"

Kirk knew he had failed his crew; failed as Captain! He started to realise that the crew weren't looking at him with hatred, as he had expected; now he had gotten them killed, but no, they were looking at him with concern and sorrow, exactly what he was feeling for his crew right now. Then and there Kirk knew that he and his crew truly belonged together, he just wished that Scotty was here with them, well in a way he was glad Scotty wasn't... at least he will get to live on after them.

Kirk then realised that Alicia wasn't where he last saw her, he slowly looked around the bridge, but there was no sign of her, she had vanished completely. Where the hell had she gone? Must of ran off after loverboy as soon as she realised she was going to die; Thinking of Alicia made him remember her so called father and his friend... Christopher Pike and what he had said to him about failing his crew, as always Chris was right, why, did I have to be the way I was? Just then, 'Bones's' face came into his mind, he just wish he could see him again before they were all killed, but he knew there wasn't time.

Their weapons are powered down, sir!" Sulu suddenly added in a quiet tone, which was unusual for him.

Kirk took that moment to stare at Sulu in shock; was he telling a last minute joke to relax them all, but one thing he knew about Sulu was that he wouldn't kid around at a time like this.

Just then Kirk heard another voice, which he didn't think he would ever hear again.

"Enterprise... can you hear me?" Scotty's voice echoed around the bridge

"Scotty!" Kirk quickly said in confusion; where was his voice coming from?

"Guess what I found behind Jupiter?" Scotty answered in his usual manner.

That question confused him for a moment, until he realised where Marcus's ship had come from. Kirk quickly turned back to face the view screen where he could still see Marcus's ship. "You're on that ship!" Kirk spoke his thoughts aloud.

"I sneaked on, and seeing as I've committed act of treason against a Starfleet Admiral, I'd really like to get off this bloody ship, now beam us out of here."

Kirk knew that Scotty had saved them, even if only for a short time, but that amount of time might just give him time to come up with something else. "You're a miracle worker... we're really low on power right now. But stand by, stand by!" Kirk said with excitement in his voice.

Just then Kirk realised what Scotty had said; '_Us_!' What did he mean by us? Who was the other person with him? The only other person who could be with him was Keenser, but it was really strange for Scotty to do that, he knew they were inseparable, but very unlike Scotty to take him with him to an unknown destination, that could easily get him killed.

"What do you mean your low on power? What happened to the Enterprise?" Scotty interrupted Kirk's thoughts.

Kirk slowly shook his head, it didn't really matter at this moment anyway, all that mattered was that Scotty was there and had saved them. He started wondering how to tell Scotty about their situation, when Scotty jumped in with his own answer.

"Oh my god, the warp core... We have to go!" Scotty said as if reading Kirk's thoughts.

How did Scotty know that? This really did confuse him, until Kirk realised that Scotty had cut the communication altogether. "**Scotty!**" Kirk shouted hoping to hear his voice again, even though he knew it was useless.


	11. Scotty's Mystery Helper

On his way to Sickbay, Kirk hoped the plan he had come up with would work and he could take Marcus's ship from the inside. That was the only way he could see out of this, that's why he didn't want Spock to go with him; it will be very dangerous and he might not survive.

Upon entering Sickbay, Khan was seated on one of the biobeds with six security personnel around him, but there was no sign of Alicia; he assumed that she had come here to be with her boyfriend, when Marcus's was about to destroy the Enterprise. Kirk continued looking around, but there was still no sign of her. Where, the hell had she gone? He had enough on his plate already than to worry about what she was up to!

Approaching Khan, Kirk stood directly in front of him; determined to find out where Alicia had gone, he didn't trust her, no matter how much she went on as if he did.

Khan just sat there staring back at him with a smirk on his face, it looked to Kirk like he was trying to mock him, as if he knew what was going on and for some reason didn't fear death, which would happen to everyone aboard the enterprise if he didn't act now, but first thing first, he had to know where Alicia was. "Where is she?"

Khan's face turned to confusion and then quickly turned to concern as if he just realised who Kirk was talking about. His face slowly turned to anger as he leant his face closer. "What the hell have you done to, Alice?" Khan demanded to know.

What he had done to her! What a cheek! He had been more than kind enough to her, despite who she was involved with and the way her temper had almost gotten them all killed, even if that wasn't her intention. "I was asking you the same question."

Khan had decided not answer, which was winding Kirk up no end; he knew he had to remain calm if he wanted to get his help.

To distract himself for a moment, he took a look around the room for his CMO. Bones was about to sit down at a table that contained a '_Tribble_', that they had encountered a month or so back, he really didn't want to remind himself of that encounter. The thing Kirk wanted to know was if Alicia had been in here at all, Kirk knew that his friend would tell him straight. "Bones!"

McCoy turns to face Kirk for a moment before he sat down at the table and typical of Bones, he knew what Kirk was going to say before he even asked the question; Bones knew him too well, properly better than he knew himself.

"I haven't seen her," McCoy went on in his usual manner, "I have better things to do than to babysit some girl."

Bones would never change and Kirk hoped he never did, he was very amusing in his own way.

Kirk knew he had to get back to the matter at hand; he didn't know how long they had before Marcus had full control of his weapons again. He truly needed to know where the hell Alicia had disappeared to?

Khan then took that moment to speak, "If anything bad as happened to her, Captain..." It seemed that Khan hadn't quite finished having a go at him. "I will personally destroy your ship from the inside out, that's if Marcus doesn't do that himself."

How did Khan know everything? He bet, Khan did know where Alicia was or he properly would have been off searching the ship himself by now, but he just sat there grinning back at him.

How much more time would they have before Marcus realised what Scotty and Keenser had done? Kirk knew he had to forget about Alicia for the time being and just hoped she wasn't making the situation worse. **"**Tell me what you know about that ship?" he asked Khan.

"Answer my question and then I'll answer yours."

What was Khan playing at? He must know that time was at state. For some reason Khan just sat there grinning back at him and this was making Kirk's hands clutch into fists at his sides; he so wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, but he knew that would only hurt him more. So he had to find another to do that and finally get him to realise how serious this was. "This is no time for games, your life is also at stake here if hadn't realised. I doubt you are bulletproof to the weapons on that ship; Alicia and your crew."

Khan flinched a little and Kirk knew he had hit a sore point, even if it didn't last long, Khan was now trying to stare him down with his eyes.

"So I will ask you, one last time, what do you know about that ship?" Kirk demanded to know.

Khan all of a sudden went very quiet and it looked like he was thinking hard. Kirk doubted he would have to think for long; Khan seemed to know everything as if he was from the future and not the past, but he knew it was because he had been on that ship before.

"Dreadnought class; two times the size, three times the speed, advanced weaponry, modified to be operated by a minimal crew," Khan continued as if the words were right in front of him. "Unlike most Federation vessels, it is built solely for combat."

Just what Kirk had been dreading, but still he had no choice in the matter; he had to still go ahead with his plan and somehow get Khan to help him, but before he asked, he had to make sure Khan knew he was still sending him to trial, that if they ever did make it back to Earth. "I will do everything I can to make you answer for what you did... But right now I need your help."

"What's in it for me?"

Kirk should have known that Khan wouldn't do anything unless it benefited him. He should have suspected that answer, even though Khan's life was at stake as well as everyone else on this ship; included his girlfriend. (Wherever the hell she was) Khan seemed to be so hooked on his crew, maybe he could use them to get his help. If not them, maybe Alicia. "I can guarantee the safety of your crew."

"Captain, you can't even guarantee the safety of your own crew."

He knew that part was true and he supposed his own crew knew that too. One thing he was sure of though and that was to fight for them until his last breath left his body.

"After everything Alice told me, I thought you would have been more convincing than this." Khan continued to mock him.

At this moment none of that mattered and if Alicia was from the future, they most somehow survive this, but he wouldn't leave that to chance; the future can be changed at any time.

Kirk started looking around the room behind Khan, hoping something else would come to mind, he had to convince him somehow. He could see McCoy ahead of him, who had his back to them, Kirk could see he was messing about with that '_Tribble_'. "Bones, what are you doing with that Tribble?" He asked, not really caring.

"Tribble is dead, I'm injecting it with Khan's platelets…"

As McCoy kept going on, Kirk wasn't taking that much notice, he never understood him when he went on about Medical things. He truly needed to get Khan's help, he couldn't go over to that ship without him; Khan, maybe the only one that knows the layout of that ship, maybe Alicia did as well, but she was nowhere to be found, probably hiding, letting everyone else deal with this. Somehow Kirk doubted if Alicia did become a member of his crew, he wouldn't have anyone on his ship that didn't pull their weight; his crew had to work together or they wouldn't still be here now.

When Bones had finished going on, Kirk stared right back at Khan and just decided to ask again, as he didn't have anything to offer Khan and just prayed he would still help. "So, are you coming with me or not?"

The next minute, Khan leapt off the bio-bed which made him jump back quickly; he didn't trust Khan and that jump was unexpected, but he could see the grin on Khan's face as he did. Kirk knew he did it on purpose and loved it when people acted scared of him and who wouldn't be if someone like Khan went up against someone with less strength and speed.

"So Jumpy, Captain!" Khan stated with enthusiasm.

The security personnel continued to surround Khan as they lead him out of sick-bay and Kirk followed beside him as Uhura's voice come over, saying she had Scotty on his comm. Kirk didn't waste any time in telling Scotty what he was planning to do, but what totally shocked him was Scotty's answer.

"I can't believe you are really going to do that, you both are clearly insane."

How did Scotty know about Khan coming with him? He hadn't mentioned that part yet; how can Scotty know everything he is going to do, when he is on another ship? He hoped no-one else on that ship knew, or he would be dead as soon as he got on board.

Scotty continued going on "All I need to know is how you are going to do that?"

Kirk moved his communicator towards Khan; who was the only best person to relate that information, but just has Khan started speaking, Scotty interrupted him, which totally confused Kirk even more. What the hell was going on over there?

"I'm being lead there, as you speak."

Khan looked as confused as he was about this other person; it couldn't be Keenser, as he wouldn't know anything about that ship, so who else was with Scotty?

Khan read his thoughts and asked for him, "Who is leading you?"

"Can't say!"

"This is no time for games Mr. Scott..."

"… The person wishes to remain unknown."

Kirk thought about that answer and all could come up was; who would know the layout of that ship? A member of Marcus's crew that who, could this person be leading them all into a trap? Kirk knew he had to let Scotty aware of this, but once again Khan could read his mind and was speaking for him once again.

"No-one is trust worthy aboard that ship."

"The person says to tell you, it's Sin-like... No, hold on a moment, Sin... Ike! Scotty answered.

What sort of name was that? No-one could have a name like that, unless it was a code name.

Khan took that moment to smile and it gave Kirk a nervous feeling inside; Khan must know this person, must be someone from when he worked on that ship, but someone who worked with Khan himself, was an enemy to him, well someone he shouldn't trust anyway. Kirk truly didn't like this one bit, but he still knew he had to head into the unknown, if there was any chance of saving his crew and the Enterprise. He just wondered who could be waiting for him on the other ship besides Scotty.


	12. The Mysterious 'Sinike'

Six security officers continued to follow behind Kirk, as both he and Khan made their way along the corridors of the Enterprises, still communicating with Scotty and whoever else was with him on Marcus's ship.

Who could this 'Sinike' person be? Was he another person that worked with Khan on that ship or maybe he was another argumentative; that last thought really scared Kirk, he couldn't bring himself to go up against two like 'Khan'. Not that it made any difference, he still had to go over and face the person, especially if he ever wanted to save his own family.

"When you get there, you need to find the manual override to open that airlock." Khan continued communicating thought Kirk's comm.

"Are you crazy? Scotty asked 'Whoever you are'? He continued to ask in an even higher tone.

Scotty sounded very unsure about all this and Kirk knew why... Manuel opening an airlock in space was very dangerous and an insane thing to do, but it was the only thing left. "Just listen to him, Scotty. It's going to be alright..."

Scotty interrupted him, "It's not going to be alright; you want me to open an airlock into space, whereupon 'Sinlike' and I will freeze, die and explode." He went on, in his usual manner.

"'Sinike'!" Khan corrected Scotty.

"Whatever... The fact still stands."

Scotty disconnected the comm again, but it didn't matter, Kirk knew that he would still do what he was told, he just prayed that this would all work out.

As they entered the airlock area to his own ship, Khan and Kirk started suiting up. Kirk started to remember the last time he put on a spacesuit... He couldn't believe that was only a year ago, he knew this was almost the same thing except this time he was heading across space and not down to a planet, but the main purpose was the same; he only had one chance to get it right.

Kirk really didn't want to think about that right now, he needed something to take his mind off the situation and deal with it when the moment presents itself. He started thinking about Alicia and where she was at this moment; if she knew his crew very well, he guessed she would know the ship just as well, but was she trying to help them or make things worse? Kirk just wished he knew where she was.

They both climbed down into the vent where the main airlock door was and Scotty also took that moment to come back on the comm, to remind him why they were doing this.

"Captain, they have locked out access to the main computer; they will have full weapons in 3 minutes... That means, next time I won't be able to stop them from destroying the enterprise," Scotty warned him.

"Understood Scotty, have you arrived yet?"

"No, stand by."

Kirk didn't want to hurry Scotty, but 3 minutes wasn't much time at all; In that amount of time they had to get across to the other ship, get to the bridge and bring down Marcus. He knew he was doing it again... Thinking ahead and he knew he couldn't do that, or he wouldn't be able to go through with this. One step at a time!

Spock's voice comes through the ships main comm, letting them aware that they had the Enterprise all lined up with the other ship. Now they were just waiting for Scotty to get back to them and one thing he hated was standing around like this, it got him thinking too much and making him regret what he was about to do, he needed another distraction. "Spock, has there been any sign of Alicia?"

Khan took that moment to turn his head and grin at him, before turning back around again. Kirk now knew for certain that Khan did know the whereabouts of Alicia. Of course he would, this was his game they were playing and everyone on board had to play along, for the time being anyway. Alicia would be in on his game as well, and that was starting to scare him. What were they up to and why did it involve Alicia taking off? Which was one thing he truly hated, not knowing what was going on, especially on his ship.

"Miss Pike is back on the bridge and now under heavy guard," Spock answered him.

At last, now that did help calm him down a little, he just wanted to know what the hell she had been up to. He was about to get Spock to ask her when Scotty chose that moment to come back through.

"I'm in the hanger! Give me a minute."

Alicia would have to wait till they got back. If they did make it back alive... No, he wasn't going to think about that. One step at a time... Come on Scotty, we need to get moving. "Scotty!"

"I'm running, stand by!" Scotty sounded very breathless.

That ship must have a pretty big hanger; bigger than the enterprise. Of course it would be, it was almost 10 times bigger than Enterprise put together. Kirk just prayed it didn't take them long to get from the hanger to the bridge, that's why he needed Khan's help.

"Whoo, Whoo! Hold on there, Captain." Scotty continued "This door is very wee; I mean it's small, four square meters tops; it will be like jumping out of a moving car, off a bridge and into your shot glass."

Now that did sound very familiar, Deja-Ave! "It's O.K, I've done it before."

Khan stared at him in surprise... He was about to explain but decided against it. What did it matter to him? Now Kirk had to get Scotty to calm down and continue; there was no more time to waste. "Scotty…"

Khan turned back around and continued for him. "Manual override!"

"Did you find the manual override?" Kirk asked in his own way.

"No, not yet, not yet!"

Scotty sounded like he was running again and getting more out of breath. Then it dawned on Kirk... Where was this 'Sinike' person? Wouldn't he be able to point it out to Scotty and get them moving already? "Scotty, where is 'Sinike'; can't he explain it to you?

Spock took that moment to interrupt "Captain before you launch, you should be aware that there is considerable, amount of debris between our ships…"

"Spock, not now!" He interrupted. "Scotty, are we good?"

He knew Spock was just doing his job and warning him of the hazards that were ahead of them, but he couldn't deal with that right now, he wanted Scotty to hurry up and find the override.

"It's not easy, just give me 2 seconds, alright… You mad bastard!" Scotty mumbled, but loud enough for them all to hear.

Scotty was under a lot of pressure and it wasn't easy at all, but no matter how much Kirk wanted to get moving, he knew there was no point putting more pressure on Scotty; he was doing the best he could.

They finally did make it on to the other ship and in one piece, but that certainly was very terrifying, he truly thought his moment was up then, but as usual Scotty saved them at the last moment and now Kirk could see and feel how big this hanger truly was; he had gone all stiff and sore after that roll down the hangar to where Scotty was at the other end and all on his own.

"Welcome aboard!" Scotty announced as he stared at them both in shock.

Everything at that moment came flooding back to him; how badly he treated Scotty the last time they spoke, face to face before Scotty resigned. "It's good to see you, Scotty." Kirk smiled briefly and knew they needed to talk, but now wasn't the time.

Scotty nodded, before turning to face Khan as if knowing and agreeing to his thoughts. "Who is that?" Scotty asked.

"Khan, Scotty! Scotty, Khan." Kirk quickly made introductions.

"Hello!" Scotty said as he nodded his head towards Khan.

Khan had decided not to answer Scotty or even look his way; he was busy looking around the hangar, so Kirk decided that this was the best moment to finally find out who this 'Sinike' person was and wherever that person had gone, "Scotty, who is this 'Sinike' and where is he now?"

"'Sinlike' didn't want to hang about and to be honest, I don't blame her; I nearly didn't survive myself."

Kirk realised straight away that Scotty had mentioned that this 'Sinike' was a girl, but before he could even say or think anything more, Khan took that moment to remind them of their situation.

"They will know we are here… I know the best way to the bridge."

Of course they would, it was the same with the Enterprise; if anyone left or entered his ship, by means of overriding things manually, all that was reported to the bridge and to him straight away.

They both started to follow Khan out of the hangar. Kirk hoped, he was leading them to the bridge, where Marcus was and that they made it in time before he destroyed the Enterprise and the only family he had.

They continued moving through the ship until they ran into a few crew members, Kirk was glad that this ship didn't need so many crew members, it helped them get so far without bumping into anyone, until now that was... They somehow managed to knock the other crew members out, mostly with Khan's help!

After the fight Kirk realised that Khan had vanished, he was their only guide through this ship. Where he had gone? He and Scotty continued walking on, hoping they were heading in the right direction.

All of a sudden they started hearing someone talking up ahead. Kirk knew it was Khan's voice, so they both made their way towards his voice. Then another voice was heard, who was Khan talking to? Kirk knew it was a female voice; He wished he could make out what they were saying, but they were talking to quietly for him to understand the words.

"That's 'Sinlike'!" Scotty quickly stated.

Kirk really wanted to meet this 'Sinike' person, who Scotty kept pronouncing wrong. He wondered if Alicia knew who this girl was! Just then the voice's stopped and all went quiet again.

They both stopped walking and Kirk turned to look at Scotty, who was just as puzzled as he was, with what was going on.

"This way!" Khan voiced came from behind him.

They quickly turned around to see Khan grinning at them... Sneaky bastard! Kirk truly couldn't stand this guy.

As they both continued following Khan again, Kirk realised that he was alone... 'Sinike' had disappeared again; Khan was definitely up to something and this 'Sinike' girl was helping him. Kirk knew now that he had to stop Khan somehow. "Scotty, the minute we get to the Bridge, drop him!" he whispered.

Scotty whispered back, "Stun him, you mean!"

Scotty turn back to face Khan as they followed on behind him, before turning back to him and slowly nodded his head; Kirk knew that Scotty understood, especially after that conversation Khan just had with 'Sinike' without letting them in on it. If this did go wrong and Khan got his way... At least, he had Alicia and his crew on the Enterprise to bargain with.


	13. Sinike' Unmasked

They finally made it to the bridge on Marcus's ship, where he sat in shock at how quickly they stunned his bridge crew.

Kirk jumped right into action and stood right in front of the Captain's chair, where Marcus was about to stand up, but had changed his mind and sat down again when Kirk aimed his phaser right at him.

Now that Kirk had the situation under control and just in the nick of time it had seemed; Marcus was about to give the command to fire on his ship.

He knew there was no time to feel relieved though... Kirk had to make sure he kept it this way and he couldn't do that with Khan right behind him; he didn't trust him one bit, expressly now that they had control of Marcus's ship.

He nodded his head at Scotty, who knew what to do and carried out his order and stunned Khan... Kirk was quite surprised that he actually went down, even though he was really glad it did work. One thing he had to make sure of was that Khan stayed down. "Make sure he stays down," he ordered. Scotty dashed off behind him and Kirk turned his attention back to Marcus.

He had to get back into authority mode, expressly now he was up against an Admiral and the head of Starfleet as well; that meant showing no weakness at all and to make himself sound serious. Even though Marcus was trying to do just that, and hoping he would back down, but he knew that his life and his crew were in danger if he did, so he did the only thing he could and that was to distract him about embarrassing him in front of his daughter, that certainly made Marcus shut up and turn to where his daughter Carol was standing. Kirk took that moment to look at Carol, to make sure she was alright. Carol smiled at him and stated she was fine. The next thing he heard was a thud behind him and knew only one thing; Khan was awake!

"**JIM!**" Carol quickly shouted, to warn him of something.

Kirk turned quickly, but not quick enough.

Khan appeared right behind him and before he knew what was happening he was thrown across the bridge and attacked. Tried to fight back, but Khan was just too quick for him and landed one punch after another... He could almost feel himself blacking out with how hard Khan's fist landed on his face. He tried his hardest keep himself conscious, which was proving very different for him.

The punches stopped and he was sure he sensed that Khan had moved away from him, but he couldn't be certainly, not until he heard a sound that made a shiver run down his spine; that certainly sounded like bones crushing and just to prove his thoughts, he heard Carol screaming at the top of her lungs... a scream that reminded him of Alicia.

He slowly tried to open his eyes which felt very difficult to do, but somehow he could make out that Carol was lying a few feet in front of him and holding on to her leg; Kirk couldn't believe that Khan had just crushed Carol's leg.

He didn't know what to do or what to say... his mind was still very foggy.

That was until he heard Khan's voice echo around him. "You should have let me sleep!"

That certainly made Kirk open his eyes wider, despite the pain.

Khan was holding Marcus down on a chair with his hands each side of his face and it looked like he was... no, he must be mistaken. But was he? Khan had already crushed Carol's leg, why not Marcus's head as well!

Khan's hands started squashing Marcus's face even more tightly and Kirk just couldn't bring himself to move, he felt like he was watching a horror movie, but in black and white; somehow his vision hadn't cleared properly yet, which was why he couldn't move, he could only stare in shock at what was happening right in front of him.

"**KHAN NOONIEN SINGH**..."

'Who said that?' Kirk tried his best to turn around to where the voice came from, but he still couldn't bring himself to move; His head felt like it was about to fell off his neck at any moment. One thing he could see and it made him grateful for whoever had just spoken; Khan slowly loosened his grip on Marcus's head... As much as he hated Admiral Marcus, he certainly wouldn't deserve to go that way, no-one did for that matter.

"**STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!**" The voice continued to echo around the bridge.

Khan was slowly moving his hands away from Marcus's face altogether and that's when he heard someone let out a sign of relief; that had come from Carol as she continued to hold her hand against her leg.

Another sound echoed around the room and it made Kirk's heart jump in his chest. He slowly lifted his eyes to Khan again; fearing the worst.

Khan was still standing in front of Marcus, but this time his hands were down by his sides and Marcus was still sitting in the chair but with his head turned to the side facing him with his eye's closed.

Was Marcus dead? Did Khan finally kill him another way? No, Kirk was certain he could still see Marcus's chest moving or was he seeing things, but with the way Carol was looking at her father; with a relieved look on her face, he knew she was seeing the same thing, which meant that Khan must have only, knocked him out.

"**WHY**...?" Khan shouted in anger as he continued staring down at Marcus. "Why, did you stop me?" Khan slowly turned around and looked over at the other side of the bridge.

The look on Khan's face was something that Kirk didn't think he would ever see; full of confusion and sorrow. The only person who had brought that on was Alicia, but that voice certainly didn't sound like her. Of course, it wouldn't, Alicia was on the bridge of the Enterprise, so who was this other person, who could control Khan? That voice was definitely a female's voice... Could this person be the 'Sinike' girl?

Scotty's voice suddenly confirmed Kirk's thoughts. "Sinlike!"

"My name is Mandy Noonien Singh!" The person stated, in a gentle voice.

Wait a minute wasn't that Khan's full name? So this 'Sinike' girl was related to Khan, but what relation was she to him? Kirk was trying his best to move himself so he could see this girl. He slowly tried to move his legs around, which made the rest of him follow suit. Now he could see who this person was.

'Sinike' was slowly lowering her hood that covered her face... now, where had he seen this before? When he had first met Alicia and how she always wore a hood over her face... my god was that moment only a few hours ago, it felt like ages since the first time he met Khan and Alicia. Speaking of Alicia, Kirk wondered if she knew who this girl was.

The person lowered their hood completely; she wasn't a young girl, like he was expecting, he couldn't tell how old she was, but she was definitely a few years older than Khan. This lady... yes that was the best way to describe her, expressly with the way she looked and the way she was dressed; like she was royalty, (a long dress that extend out at the bottom and hid her legs completely and she certainly liked her jewellery, she had it everywhere, her arms, her neck and her ears) This Lady was looking straight at Scotty with a big smile on her face, which seemed to light up her whole face.

"Mother!" Khan stated.

Now that did surprise Kirk; this lady, was his mother! She didn't look that old, but one thing he knew was that appearances can be conceiving... he had leaned that the hard way, back in his younger days before Starfleet, but now wasn't the time to think of 'the before', it was the here and now.

"Don't Mother, me!"

Mandy (Khan's mother) slowly turned to face Khan with a hard look on her face, it showed to Kirk that Mandy was all serious when it came to her son or was she just cross at what Khan was about to do? One thing that really got him thinking was how did Mandy get aboard this ship without anyone noticing or was she supposed to be a prisoner like Khan and Alicia had been on his ship?

"You seem to have forgotten what our main focus is here." Mandy continued to say.

"Never!" Khan stated, in an anger tone. "Alice should have completed stage one already and stage two is already unfolding ..."

"... By crushing Marcus's brain!" Mandy interrupted.

"He needs to pay for what he has done," Khan demanded.

What was happening here? Even though, Kirk did know that Khan was playing him to get what he wanted; Revenge! But it sounded like it went deeper than that. He said Alicia had completed stage one, so that means Alicia had done something to his ship to help Khan get to stage two. He wondered what that was?

"And while your doing that, Roxy and Drake will die of old age." Mandy stated, while staring back Khan.

"Stop being sarcastic Mother, it doesn't suit you."

Now who the hell is Roxy and Drake? This was certainly getting more serious by the minute and Kirk was really getting uncertain about how to deal with this. Was there other people on this ship that was working with Khan or were they elsewhere, maybe they were part of his crew, that means they were frozen on the Enterprise. Is that where Alicia had been...?

Kirk just didn't know what to do, it was so confusing for him. One thing he did know was that they were in more danger than he first thought. Now, there might be five people to deal with and if anyone of those people were like Khan, they didn't stand a chance.


	14. Even More Surprises

"Now, if you would excuse me, Mother, I have a meeting with a certain Vulcan," Khan stated.

"Do you indeed!" Mandy said, in an annoyed tone.

That could only mean that Khan was going to do a deal with Spock, which was bound to include him and the other two members of his crew. There were only two things on the enterprise that he could possibly want; Alicia and his crew. If he did get hold of his crew and revived them, there would be no chance for anyone else, we would be killed or even worse made to be slaves. Kirk knew, he had to put a stop to that, even if it meant the end for him, Carol and Scotty. '_The needs of the many, outways the needs of the few', _Spock's words said to him only a couple of days on Nibiru... Now he fully understood what those words meant.

Khan made his way over to him, Kirk knew somehow he had to stop Khan, but he had never felt so helpless before; no energy left to fight Khan. He knew he had to try something though, no matter how much pain he was in he still wouldn't just sit here and take it.

Khan leaned down and quickly grabbed Kirk by the neck and it made him feel so light-headed... Kirk was sure he was going to blackout and this moment reminded him of another time on Nero's ship, where the Romulans loved strangling people to death, the last time he got out of this hold was by shooting the Romulan with his own gun, but Khan didn't seem have a gun on him anymore, he must have lost his phaser when he was stunned by Scotty and he couldn't remember when he lost his. So how could he stop Khan? He slowly brought his hands up and tried to push Khan's hands away.

"_Khan..." _Mandy stated, in that same annoying tone; Which normal got Khan's attention.

But this time, it didn't affect him at all. "I know what I'm doing this time, Mother," Khan stated, as he looked back at his mother as if waiting for her approval.

"Sometimes I wonder..." Mandy said, before turning around and heading back the way she came.

The doors opened and closed after her. Now, what would Khan do without his mother around to stop him? Kirk wished she had stayed and made sure Khan didn't try to kill any one of them.

A wide grin all of a sudden appeared on Khan's face. "_At last_!" he stated as if this was the best moment of his life.

Khan quickly realised Kirk's neck and he felt himself falling; landing quite hard onto the floor. Which made him groan in pain; he was grateful that Khan hadn't gone through with what he must have intended to do.

Kirk slowly opened his eyes and was about to find out where Khan had gone, but all of a sudden he heard that same sound that made Carol scream before, which actually made her do again. Did Khan crush Carol's other leg? He looked towards Carol, she was staring towards her father... Kirk knew what had happened before he even looked the same way; Khan had done what he had intended to do before his mother had stopped him. Marcus's skull had been crushed completely. Kirk stared on in shock at what he was seeing, he never thought, he would ever see something so horrifying, right in front of his own eyes.

He was in such a state of shock that he didn't notice Khan coming back over to him until he had a hold of him by the neck again. Kirk knew he had to get his mind back into focus, or he might end up like Marcus himself. He was trying his best to pull Khan's hands away from him, but once again he was just too strong. Before Kirk knew what was happening next, he was staring back at his own phaser, which was now pointing at him.

"Now it's time to find out how much that Vulcan cares about you," Khan stated, with that same grin plastered all over his face.

The time had come and the only thing left for him to do was to convince Spock, not to go with it, Kirk just hoped that Spock would play this the way he did in the volcano.

Khan span Kirk around to face the other way, towards the main screen, which all of a sudden changed and showed him the bridge of the Enterprise... He had never seen the bridge from this view before and just couldn't believe how stunning it looked, he was so lucky to be the Captain of such an amazing ship, but as soon as he saw the look of worry on Spock's face, it quickly snapped him out of his thoughts; Spock was showing emotion!

"_Captain_!"

Alicia was standing beside Spock and McCoy, who were all standing right in front of the main screen. It looked like the three of them had been in deep, conversation. Spock was supposed to have her under heavy guard, but there didn't seem to be any security personnel around. Kirk wondered what they had been talking about before Khan had opened the channel... must have been about Khan, for Alicia to have been a part of the conversation. Kirk realised then that Spock wasn't aware that Alicia had been tricking them from the very beginning.

"I'm going to make this very simple for you." Khan got straight to the point, "My crew, for your crew!"

The worried look quickly vanished from the Vulcan's face, back to his usual unemotional mask "You betrayed us!" Spock stated.

"Oh, you are smart, Mr. Spock."

Somehow he had to speak to Spock, Kirk wished he had more time to explain things, so had to shorten what he said before Khan stopped him.

"**SPOCK, DON'T...**" He started to shout, before Kirk felt something hard against the back of his head and he all of a sudden found himself on the floor, but this time he didn't quite feel the pain in his legs, like the last time; The pain in his head was so much worse and once again he found himself fighting unconsciousness again.

The next moment Kirk heard a very loud scream or was he screaming himself... No, it couldn't be him; he never screamed. Might groan in pain, but he never screamed. So who did Scream? It was definitely a female scream and that sort of sound only came from one other person; Alicia! That was the same scream she always did when she was in pain; physical or mentally. Why was Alicia screaming? She wasn't the one Khan had hit over the head.

All of a sudden Kirk felt something touch his arm. For a moment there he thought Khan hadn't finished with him, but no the touch was too gently for that... Carol! Carol must have rushed over to him, that was when Kirk realised everyone had gone quiet, except for a couple of gasps. What was going on? He couldn't seem to get his brain in gear.

"Jim, are you alright?"

That certainly had been Alicia's voice. Kirk turned his head towards the main screen to see Spock and McCoy staring right back at him, or maybe it was Carol they were staring at... Wait a moment, where had a Alicia gone, Kirk was certain it was her voice he had just heard.

Spock and McCoy continued to stare at him in shock, which made Kirk determined to find out what was going on behind him. Kirk slowly started turning his head, which made him groan in pain. He opened his eyes, which he didn't realised he had closed and saw that Carol hadn't moved from the spot in front of her father. Of course she wouldn't have done, not with a broken leg.

"Jim, speak to me..."

If Carol was far away from him, then it must be Scotty behind him, but he doubted that; Alicia's voice sounded to loud, that must mean that Alicia was behind him... No, that was impossible. Alicia was on the Enterprise! There was no-way she was behind him. Kirk turned the rest of the way around and came face to face with non other than Alicia herself.

"Alicia, how... how, did you do that?" Khan demanded to know.

That was the same question on Kirk's mind, he started blinking his eyes a couple of times, but Alicia's face wouldn't disappear from his view. He knew he wasn't dreaming, not after Khan confirming what he saw, but how can Alicia be here? A moment ago she had been on the Enterprise. This was really confusing Kirk, now his mind and his speech had gone numb completely.

Alicia smiled at Kirk and then stood up facing Khan. "I won't allow you to hurt him or the rest of his crew," Alicia stated in an angry tone.

A big grin started to appear on Khan's shocked face. "Why didn't you tell me, you could do that?"

So Alicia had kept something from Khan; something really important. Kirk lifted his eyes up to see Khan grinning at Alicia; Why was Khan so happy about that? He would be '_pissed'_ if she had kept something like this from him.

Alicia continued to stare back at Khan with a mean look on her face, which didn't seem to affect him at all. "Wow! With your … Whatever you call it. And with what I can do; we would be invincible together," Khan stated, with enthusiasm in his voice.

"Are you listening to me?" Alicia demanded, as she placed both her hands on her hips. "You will not harm Jim anymore, do you hear me?"

Why does she care so much about me..? What I'm I thinking - Alicia just beamed from one ship to another without assistance? I must be losing my mind... Khan must have hit me harder than I thought. Khan was right though, with him being a superhuman and with what Alicia just did, no-one would be able to bring them down.

"Forget about him and the rest of his crew; they will only do what that man over there did to you," Khan stated, while making his eyes move upwards, to a point over Alicia's head.

Alicia slowly turned in that direction, towards Admiral Marcus. Alicia took that moment to open her mouth very wide. Kirk knew Alicia was about to scream again and this time he wouldn't blame her, but for some reason no sound came from her. She just stood there with her mouth hanging open. Alicia didn't look very good at all; she had gone very pale. Kirk was certain she was going to throw up any moment now. But she surprised him once again, by gaining control of herself. Her cheeks quickly started getting redder by the second.

"**YOU!**" Alicia yelled. "**YOU..!**" She continued to yell as she quickly turned back around. "**YOU, DID** **THAT!**"

"He deserved it. Remember what he did to you; all those experiments." Khan gently said, as he leaned forward and placed both his hands on her shoulders.

Experiments! God, these surprises were coming in one after the other, what else was to come? Alicia was still very angry with Khan, no matter what he kept saying, she was getting more worked up by the minute. Was Alicia slowly turning against Khan? Had she gone through too much with him, or maybe this was part of 'stage two'; to make him think Alicia was turning against him. This was getting Kirk more confused by the minute.

Alicia quickly shrugged off Khan's hands "**YOU ARE A MANIAC!**" Alicia walked right up to Khan and stared up into his face. "You care about nothing, but yourself!"

Khan's face quickly turned to anger as he stared right back. Was he going to hit her? Kirk wondered if he really could hurt Alicia. It certainly looked like he could and if Khan did hit Alicia or even worse Kill her, there was nothing he could do right now if Khan did take that route.


	15. Emotion's Are on High Alert

"What..? Are you going to try and kill me now? Alicia asked in an annoyed tone.

Khan continued to glare back. "I could easy kill you, in an instant," he demanded.

Alicia didn't even bat an eyelid. "Then, why haven't you?" She demanded back.

Alicia looked as if she was trying to challenge Khan, to kill her; which was very suicidal! Did she want Khan to kill her? This just seemed so unreal... this surely must be a trap, to make Kirk think Alicia was turning against Khan, but there was no way he would fool for that. Alicia had tricked him too many times, to ever trust her again.

Khan's face started to soften before taking a deep breath. "You are, the only person that I couldn't kill," he finally stated.

Alicia continued to glare back. "Aren't I, the lucky one!" She stated with a slight twist to her month.

It looked like Alicia had known that all along, maybe she had challenged him like this before, or once again it was part of their plan. Khan might have known all along, what Alicia could do. Kirk wondered how everyone else was taking this, he turned to the main screen and saw that Spock and McCoy were just as shocked... Except Spock wasn't showing this fact, but it was the way he kept staring from Khan to Alicia.

"Tell me, what it is you truly want from me?" Alicia continued to mock Khan.

Kirk took that moment to look back at the scene in front of him. It looked like Khan was getting impatient and just wanted her to snap out of it. It certainly looked like they had been through this before, with the way Khan just stared at the ceiling, slowly taking a deep breath, before looking back at Alicia again.

"Let's talk about this later when I finally have my crew back."

"As long as you don't hurt Jim anymore," Alicia stated, without taking her eyes from Khan.

"You think he's still the same Jim Kirk, you had a crush on. What was it now... 12 years ago?

12 years ago I wasn't even in Starfleet then. He couldn't quite remember where he was then, but knew he was only in his teens, so Alicia truly must be from the future and Khan from the past. How did they ever end up together? Did this mean he had another Alicia to put up with as his 'yeoman'? No, hold on it would be 'Janice Rand' from what Alicia had told him, but either way that wouldn't happen if he could help it. Kirk couldn't believe that Alicia had a crush on him, now that did put a smile on his face, but he quickly wiped it away again; No, he will not get involved with her, even if it's another version of her.

Now that surely did make him think of the older Spock that was now on New Vulcan; he had come from an alternate reality... Kirk still couldn't get his head around that one, but could Alicia be from Spock's reality? No, that wasn't possible... Spock said he was from 92 years in the future; Vulcan's could live a lot longer than humans. Alicia was human, or maybe she wasn't! Kirk didn't know any humans that could travel from one ship to another at will. This truly was confusing him even more; was there anything else that she could do? Maybe the other Spock could shed some light on her, but first, he had to get out of this situation.

"Still doesn't mean you can go around beating him, what as Jim ever done to you, except keeping you save from Marcus. Alicia's face was started to get very red.

"I never really needed his help; I could easily have taken this ship on my own," Khan answered with a glint in his eye.

If Alicia was trying to get Khan to see sense, he doubted she could do that by saying how useful he was. Kirk watched as Alicia stepped closer to Khan until she was toe to toe with him and stared up at him, he couldn't see her expression, but he could see a challenge unfolding.

"I thought we were in this together."

"We are, just let me do what I have to do." Khan started leaning down towards Alicia and placed both his hands back on her arms, leaning his face quite close. "Don't worry, I won't kill your precious Captain or his crew; I just want my own crew back."

Kirk knew he had to come up with something, he didn't trust what Khan was saying; once he had his own crew back there was nothing left to bargain with. Did Alicia realise what could happen if Khan did get his crew back? Kirk knew he had to try and move, but still couldn't bring himself to move much and even if he did, what could he do?

Scotty moved up beside Kirk before saying, "_I sure don't like how this is turning out," _he whispered.

Kirk didn't have any idea what to do and that scared him completely. One thing for certain, he was getting fed up with the way Khan and Alicia were going on and wished they would just get on with it; he didn't like thinking, he worked better in the heat of the moment.

Kirk whispered back,_ "Neither do I, Scotty, I wish they would finally get on with what they want to do."_

"_We both now what that is!" _Scotty whispered back.

Kirk slowly nodded his head... which he was glad he could now do without pain. He truly needed to come up with a way out of this.

"So you just used me!" Alicia's voice echoed through Kirk's thoughts.

Now where did that come from? He must have missed a part of their conversation, Kirk hoped he hadn't missed anything he needed to know, but from what Alicia just said, he doubt it; Alicia was still challenging Khan.

"No, I didn't mean for it to sound that way... Look, just let me deal with Spock and we can talk afterwards." Khan demanded in an annoying tone.

"No, you can talk about it now," Alicia demanded in her own voice.

Khan must really like Alicia for him to put up with all this and still manage to keep his cool with her, Kirk just hoped he didn't take it out on him and his crew afterwards. The two of them seemed to have a love/hate relationship and it was really getting to him. Just hurry up and make your peace or fallout, just get it over with.

"You are part of my family..."

Alicia quickly jumped in, interrupting Khan. "Oh, I'm I now, but do you mean it?"

"**NOW THAT'S ENOUGH YOU** **TWO!**" A voice echoed through the room.

Kirk turned his head in the direction of that voice and saw Khan's mother 'Mandy' standing in the doorway of the bridge staring at Khan and Alicia with an angry look on her face. Kirk couldn't believe he didn't hear the doors open, but maybe it was because he had grow used to it; his bridge crew came and went all the time.

"I don't care if you love or hate one another, just get on with it," Mandy demanded.

Kirk looked back and saw that Khan still looked annoyed but continued to look at Alicia, but she was looking at Mandy with a slow smile appearing on her lips; Alicia did know Mandy and looked very happy to see her.

"Mother, 'Sinike'!" Alicia announced.

So Alicia called her mother too, but why? She couldn't be her real daughter, not if Khan was her real son; there must be over 300 years between them. Wow, talk about age gaps... Mandy must prefer Alicia to call her that.

"My dear Alicia."

"How are you?"

"I would feel much better if you two finally got on with 'stage two'."

"Yes Mother!" Alicia slightly bowed her head before turning back to Khan.

Could Mandy see everything that had happened; is there a camera on this bridge that she as been watching? Must be for her to know when to step in, unless Khan had a microphone on him, Kirk knew he didn't have one on him early as he would have been searched, Mandy might of given him one when they were secretly speaking earlier on. Kirk started to realise what Alicia had just done. Why would she bow like that? Alicia truly confused him sometimes. No change that, she was a very confusing person.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Alicia demanded to Khan, who still hadn't taken his eyes off her.

"Yes son, get on with it."

Khan turned to look at Mandy and then back to Alicia, who were both grinning at him. Kirk couldn't believe the look on his face; he looked so helpless with the way his Mother and Alicia were ganging up on him.

"Fine!" Khan huffed before turning back to the main screen.

Kirk did the same thing and saw the same shock expression on his friend's face as he kept looking over at him; Kirk knew McCoy worried about him - He tried tempting a smile, to let him know he was O.K so far. Well, enough not to need medical attention, even though McCoy would argue with him on that one, but the smile must have come out really small as McCoy continued to stare at him with that concerned look.

"So Spock, what do you say? My crew for your crew, I'd say that was a fair deal, wouldn't you?" Khan started as if this was no big deal.

"How do I know you still won't destroy the Enterprise, after you get what you want."

"You will have to take my word for it."

"He won't Spock, I'll make sure of that," Alicia stated with a smile on her face.

Spock nodded his head at Alicia as if he believed her. What the hell happened over there? How the hell could Spock trust her?' This wasn't like Spock to believe everything a prisoner says, especially when it came to a matter of life or death. What the hell is going on? Did Alicia somehow convince Spock to believe her... Oh no, Kirk knew he had to warn Spock not to trust her.

"_Lower shields_!" Spock command with a quick turn behind him.

"No Spock, don't trust her..." Kirk was interrupted with a kick to his side.

That kick alone sent Kirk flying a few feet away. He curled up in pain; he felt as if his ribs had been crushed.

"**NO, STOP THAT!**" Alicia shouted.

Kirk felt someone place their hands on his side and guessed it must be Alicia.

"Get him to shut up, or I'll do it for him..." Khan demand. "Mr Spock!" He stated in an annoyed tone.

"_Lower shields, Mr Sulu_!" Spock command once again.

This one girl that was trying to show she cared about him was slowly turning his crew against him. How she was doing that, he didn't know and for the first time in Kirk's life, he didn't know what to do. He just slowly sat up with Alicia trying to help him.

"_Don't you dare touch me_!" Kirk quickly demanded, before pushing her away.


	16. Warnings & Trickery

Alicia now had that look of concern, but one thing Kirk noticed was that she didn't take the hint of staying away from him and it didn't seem to affect her that he was truly pushing her away. Kirk had to admit he had never met another girl like her before, but none of this was going to affect him.

If Alicia had Spock's trust and Khan's trust, how was she trying to play this? It looked like she was trying to play both sides, but how does that work? You are either on one side or the other, not both like she was playing it, that was one reason Kirk wouldn't trust her, like Spock was doing, but it didn't make sense to him; Spock wouldn't just trust Alicia, so that meant he had missed something when he was risking his life to get on this ship.

"_Please do what he says?" _Alicia pleaded.

"If you think I'm going to do that, you don't know me as well as you say you do."

Alicia now had that look as if she knew he was going to say that and somehow knew what to say next, to make him wonder if she truly was from the future or if she had been around McCoy too long.

"I said that because, I know very well that you wouldn't do that."

That would of the been the sort of answer he would get from 'Bones' and just this thought made him look back up at the main screen; he was getting distracted again from what was really happening, which made him think, he was right, Alicia was deliberately doing this. When his eyes landed on Spock's face who turned to meet his eye just for a second before it was focused back on Khan again; Kirk knew from just that look that Spock was trying to tell him something, but what could that be? If only his face wasn't so expressionless.

Kirk knew he had to try and think logically; it must be about Khan or Alicia, that could be the only thing Spock would know different to him, but what? Oh, how he wish he knew what happened on the Enterprise while he had been gone. The only think he could come up with, was that Spock only wanted Alicia to think he trusted her, maybe that was the way to play this; the same way Alicia was playing this, make her think he was starting to trust her. Kirk turned back to Alicia and tried to tempt a smile. "_You sure do know me well enough."_

Kirk slowly tried to get up and hoped Alicia was falling for that and would try to help... Well, he was right; Alicia smiled brightly at him and reached out to help him, to sit up. Now Kirk could see Khan at the controls staring back at the main screen. He wondered what he had missed?

"Thank You, Mr. Spock."

"I have fulfilled your terms, now fulfill mine," Spock demanded.

That must mean that Khan's crew were now on this ship, along with Alicia... Now he had nothing left to bargain with, Khan now had everything he wanted, there was only one thing left that Kirk could think of, he had to try and convince Alicia to stop him, even though Kirk doubt that she would do that, but it was the only thing left to do.

"Well Kirk, It's time I send you back to your ship..."

Kirk knew he didn't have much time if Khan was going to beam them back and if he didn't convince Alicia, Khan would still open fire on the Enterprise. "_I trust you, but you must stop Khan, or he will destroy everything, including you," _he whispered to Alicia.

The next minute Kirk noticed white lights swirling around him and knew that Khan was now beaming him back to the Enterprise or he hoped that was where he was sending him. Just before he disappeared he saw Alicia staring back at him and she was now smiling at him and nodding her head, he prayed that he had gotten through, but somehow he doubted it.

"…Besides, no ship should go down without her Captain." Khan quickly added.

In that next moment Alicia vanished and Carol appeared in front of him, with Scotty to the right of her. Kirk knew they were back on the Enterprise; he would know the feel of his own ship with his eyes closed. It looked like Khan had beamed them into the brig, where he had spent most of his time while on the Enterprise.

A few minutes later Kirk and Scotty were helping Carol to Sickbay When Kirk heard Spock announced over the ship comm that he had armed the torpedoes

He couldn't believe Spock could do that. How could he have killed 72 lives? Kirk knew Spock was emotionless, but he didn't think he would be that emotionless. So Spock had done what he thought he had done; just let Alicia think he trusted her.

They both carried Carol through the doors into Sickbay, Kirk was calling for his best friend as soon as the doors hissed open, hoping he was back from the bridge. "Bones!"

"Nurse!" McCoy shouted as soon as he saw them.

His friend always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and at this moment McCoy was attending to a patient as a nurse appeared and took Carol from them.

Kirk rushed over to McCoy, he had to get his friend to confirm what he heard Spock say. It just seemed too unreal to him.

"Good to see you, Jim!"

He was glad to see him too, but now wasn't the time, he had to get straight to business and then decided what to do next. "Did you help Spock detonate those torpedoes?" He asked McCoy.

"You're damn right, I did!"

_"H_e_ killed Khan's crew?" _ He mumbled loudly. Kirk knew he couldn't blame McCoy, he would have only followed command. God, he could feel a headache coming on... How could Spock have done that?

"Spock's cold, but he's not that cold! I've got Khan's crew..." McCoy stated as he looked off to the left of him. "… 72 human popsicles, safe and sound in their cryotubes."

"Son of a bitch!" So Spock wasn't that emotionless, after all. Kirk had to admit it had been hard for him to think he was. So Spock had fooled Khan and beaten him in his own way. Kirk knew he should be grateful that Spock had stop Khan, but it also meant that Marcus's ship had just been destroyed, which meant Khan and Alicia would be dead by now and 'Sinike' too... he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Just then, the room when into complete darkness.

"Now, what the hell is going on?" Scotty demanded.

The lights quickly came back on, but he knew it was only the emergency backup lights, which meant the ship was low on power. Did the Enterprise get caught in the explosion?

"Engineering! I need to get to Engineering." Scotty quickly mumbled on as he started running towards the exit doors.

He took once last look towards McCoy, but he had already turned back to his patient. Kirk knew that he had to get back into Captain mode.

He turned and headed after Scotty who was standing in the doorway staring out into the corridor. Now what the hell was he staring at?

There stood a few feet away was a figure wearing a hooded cloak; Kirk would remember that hood anywhere, there was only one person he knew who wore a hood over their face... "Alicia!"

The figure pushed their hood back and Alicia stood there staring at them with an angry look on her face... How did she survive that? Even after he thought that, he knew the answer; he had almost forgotten that she could beam from one ship to the other. The question was... If Alicia survived, did that mean Khan did as well? But somehow he doubted it. He was sure Khan didn't have the same ability as Alicia did. Knowing his luck, Khan would have survived as well... Well, Alicia wasn't looking sad as if she had lost her boyfriend, just angry!

"Captain! You. Are. All. Going. To. Die; One. By. One!" Alicia stated, very slowly.

Die, where did that come from? The ship had only lost power unless she was frightening to kill all of us. Maybe what Spock had done, had made her angry enough to go on a killing spree.

"Die... I can't die; I'm too young to die." Scotty interrupted his thoughts.

Scotty was just nervous, always was when he went on like that. Kirk could see that Alicia's eyes were sad; she certainly didn't look like she was about to kill them. Could Alicia be warning them about Khan... of course; Khan would think that Spock had killed his crew, now is vengeance would be on them and not Marcus anymore. "Where is Khan?" He asked Alicia.

Alicia just shrugged her shoulders, so that meant only one thing Khan was now back on the Enterprise and was now wondering around on a killing spree... Great, just what they needed!

Kirk was about to go for his communicator, when all of a sudden, he felt himself falling sideways and he landed against the wall, realising the ship was turning over.

"Oww! I've been off this ship one day, one bloody day." Scotty went on in his usual manner.

"What's going on... What's happening?" Alicia demanded.

Great, just what he needed the both of them moaning at him. The power had cut out on them and now the ship was going out of control and on top of that Khan was on a killing spree, so many things at once. "Think Jim... Think!" he mumbled quietly.


	17. Alicia's Confession

As the ship continued to throw them from side to side; Kirk tried to steady himself... all this jerking about was making it hard for him to think and it wasn't helping that Alicia and Scotty were still muttering away about the situation.

"Did the ship get caught in the explosion?" Alicia asked as she tried to keep her balance.

"I can't believe this is happening, how could the ship get this bad in one day? What the hell have you done to her?" Scotty went on while holding onto the side as the ship continued to jerk about.

Times like this, Kirk wish he wasn't responsible for everyone on this ship, but he knew he was and couldn't show weakness in front of them; he was their Captain and had to know how to sort this out.

Kirk stared back at Scotty... first things first, the ship! "Right, let's get the power back on, then maybe we can work out what's going on with the ship."

"Engineering, we need to get to Engineering!"

Kirk tried to force a smile, but he could tell it didn't come out very well ."Engineering it is then!" He knew it wasn't going to help if he showed fear. Right, the second thing to do was stop Khan, which he knew would be the hardest thing to do and the only way to do that was through Alicia... Great, that was really going to be easy, but what choice did they have.

He slowly turned to face Alicia, who was starting to look really scared, maybe he could play on this fear to convince her to stop Khan. "You need to stop Khan!"

Alicia looked more frightened with what was going on around her. "Tried to, but... Well, he wouldn't listen to me," she stated.

"Tell him, his crew is still alive, they are still on this ship."

"I know that, but he doesn't believe me."

Wait a moment... Alicia knew that. That meant Spock did tell her everything, but if she did, why didn't she warn Khan in the first place, then he might not be on a killing spree at this very moment. Was Alicia really turning against Khan, she must be not to tell him what Spock was planning, or maybe it's the opposite, maybe she did tell him, after Khan beamed us back to the Enterprise, then it would mean that she was still tricking them... Alicia's plan; she must have disrupted the ship when she disappeared earlier on.

"Captain, Engineering!" Scotty reminded him.

Kirk took that moment to ignore Scotty; He had to find out what Alicia did. "**WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SHIP?**" He yelled in anger.

Just then, the ship decided to turn and they all fell to the floor. Kirk could feel the aches and pains returning from where Khan had been beating him. What the hell had Alicia done? Somehow though, he doubted that Alicia could be responsible for all this much damage; the ship surely was in trouble if they couldn't stay balanced.

"This isn't suppose to happen," Alicia said while she tried to stand up again.

Kirk realised they had all fallen on the walls of the Enterprise; the ship must be falling through space and somehow Sulu must be having trouble stabilising the ship for some reason.

"It's the wrap core!" Scotty suddenly announced.

Of course the wrap core. Kirk remembered that he had risked the wrap core to get them back to earth, but a couple of hits from Marcus's ship while at wrap had knocked the ship farther away than they were before and he bet it damaged the core completely.

So that meant Alicia didn't have anything to do with the Enterprise falling through space to god knows where. He would still like to know what she did get up to when she vanished from the bridge... But right now Kirk knew this wasn't the time; Scotty was right they had to get to Engineering, that would be the only way to help the Enterprise. "Right, let's go!"

Krk rushed past Alicia, leaning against the ceiling at the same time since the ship was still turned on its side, but he knew he had to stop Khan as well and the only way was still through Alicia, so he turned back to her as Scotty rushed past but stopped beside him. "You need to stop Khan..."

Alicia interrupted. "No! I'm coming with you."

Why would Alicia want to go with him, he doubt she knew anything about the wrap core unless she wanted Khan to kill everyone on his ship. "You are the only one that can convince Khan..." Before Kirk even realised what he was doing he was now moving his hands up and gently placing them on each of Alicia's shoulders, leaning towards her. "...If you don't stop him, he'll kill everyone on this ship. Do you want that to happen?"

"No, of course not or I might never be born." Alicia quickly added.

Hold on a moment! How could that be, if she would be serving aboard the Enterprise in... What year did she say...? Oh yes, '68'... So in 9 years! So that means she must already be born unless time had altered for her like it has for the other Spock... Oh, this alternate time thing was really confusing for him! Kirk now stood straight again, raising one of his hands and started combing his fingers through his hair.

Alicia must have picked up on the mistake too as she now raised her own hand to cover her mouth; She had said something that she didn't want to revival to him. "I knew you were trying to hide something." He said to her.

Alicia continued to stare back at Kirk in shock herself, but she took that moment to stay quiet... Which really wound him up; Kirk now knew for certain that Alicia had been tricking them. He bet that she was reporting everything back to Khan and her cover story of knowing him and his crew was all a lie. "I knew it! You have been playing us all along."

Alicia slowly lowered her hand before saying, "No, I haven't! I just..."

Kirk quickly interrupted her. "**BULLSHIT!**" He yelled. He couldn't bring himself to listen to any more of her lies.

Alicia took that moment to take a step back with her mouth wide-open.

"Jim, the wrap core!" Scotty suddenly announced.

Slowly taking a deep breath, Kirk knew Scotty was right, now wasn't the time to discuss this; he could deal with this later when they got the ship stabilised again. "Oh, do what the hell you like, it's what you have been doing all along anyway," he mumbled to her.

After he said that Kirk turned around to face Scotty and relaxed his face a little or at least tried to. "Well, come on then, what are you waiting for?" He tried teasing. Kirk loved the shocked look on Scotty's face; he always took things seriously, which had always amused him, he knew it wouldn't last though and Scotty would come back with his own little tale.

"Me! I'm not the one in a love spat with this lovely lass," Scotty said as he looked over his shoulder with a sad look on his face.

Sometimes Scotty would remind him of 'Bones' when he went on about things like that, but his friend would use more sophisticated words instead. Scotty quickly turned around and started rushing down the corridor and this time Kirk could feel a real smile forming on his face.

Kirk quickly took off after Scotty, not really caring if Alicia followed or not.

As they continued down the corridor Kirk noticed more clearly the situation around him; his crew members were being thrown about all over, screams were heard all around him. He wanted to stop and help... they were his responsibility after all and he really cared about them, but he knew he had to switch his mind off that, the only way to help them was to put a stop to this, which was to get to engineering and stabilise the ship.

At this point he heard Spock announce over the comm for everyone to evacuate the ship; Sulu must be having more trouble than he thought.

"There won't be time for an evacuation if we don't get power to stabilise the damn ship," Scotty said as he slowed down to turn into the next corridor.

Kirk overtook Scotty at this point and rushed on ahead of him, thinking about what he just said; maybe if they stabilise the ship, they might not have to abandon the Enterprise, after all... Well, he hoped there was a way to save her; the enterprise and her crew meant the world to him. Just then, Kirk noticed what was ahead of him.

"**JIM!**" Scotty was warning him of the danger ahead.

There was a large gap ahead which was the entryway to another corridor, but cause they were running on the walls it was just one big gap for them and no way around it, not with the Enterprise on its side. There was only way to get to the other side, "**JUMP, YOU HAVE TO JUMP!**" He shouted.

"Oh, no! No! No!" Scotty moaned.

"We can't possibly make that jump," said another.

So Alicia was behind them and had done just what she wanted to do... He wished she had gone after Khan, even though he knew that Khan must be having trouble himself carrying out his revenge; what with the ship rocking about like it was.

Just then, Kirk noticed something coming up beside him and realised it was Scotty with a determined look on his face as he took off towards the gap and despite what Alicia had said, he was jumping.

Scotty made it to the other side safely and so did Kirk. As he landed on the other side he ran right into Scotty who had stopped running and was waiting for him... He knew Scotty was just making sure he had made the jump too. "O.K Scotty, let's keep moving, shall we?"

Scotty started looking behind him... Kirk guessed he was making sure that Alicia had made the jump too, but for some reason Scotty was looking really confused about something.

"Where did that lassie go?"

Oh no, did that mean Alicia didn't make the jump! But even before he thought that, he knew she couldn't have fallen through the gap or he would have heard her scream and Kirk could tell her scream apart from everyone else's.

He quickly turned around; he knew he shouldn't really care if she did make it or not, but somehow he did care about her life, he was the Captain of this ship; he had to keep everyone safe... It was his job! All of a sudden, he saw something flying past his vision and then a scream that got quieter and quieter.

"Oh no, was that her..?" Scotty suddenly asked.

He stepped closer to the gap, but Kirk knew that scream was nothing like Alicia's scream, then again he could be wrong as it did get quieter and quieter as the person went flying for miles; Kirk knew how long that corridor was. Deep down he truly hoped it wasn't her, he wasn't sure why he cared so much, especially since Alicia had been playing him... maybe he was just that determined to find out who she really was, and at this rate maybe he may never know... he truly hoped not!

"...Oh, the poor lass!" Scotty said as if it definitely was her.

He slowly started to lean over the gap... Kirk knew, he wouldn't be able to see her, but he had to know if Alicia was alright.


	18. Matter of Life or Death

Who are we looking for?

He certainly recognised that voice and was glad to hear Alicia's voice, which meant she was fine and hadn't fallen down the corridor, after all. Kirk did feel sorry for whoever did fall, but he knew there wasn't much he could for them now.

Kirk quickly turned around and glared back at Alicia, who was now standing beside Scotty, who happened to be staring at her with his mouth wide-open. Kirk started to take a couple of steps back as he too stared back at her, not in shock, but with an angry look. That was until he started to feel himself losing his balance as he slowly started to topple over the edge, but somehow he managed to balance himself just in time.

Scotty and Alicia were now staring at him with concern. Kirk moved away from the gap in the corridor and walked straight passed them as if nothing had happened, trying not to look so embarrassed.

"Come on Lass, we still have a ship to save," Scotty stated behind Kirk.

Once again Kirk had realised his mistake; he had forgotten that Alicia could move herself from one place to another without walking.

They all continued down the corridor until they came to the middle of the ship and the time it took them to get to this point, the ship had righted itself again. Kirk started to make his way to the footbridge that separated the other corridor to them when Alicia started moaning once again.

"How much further?"

"Not much further now, Lass," Scotty tried to reassure her.

"Wouldn't it be quicker if I just took you both there myself."

This certainly made Kirk stop in his tracks just before crossing to the other side of the walkway and slowly turned around to glare back at Alicia. He was getting angrier and angrier with her; he realised then that Alicia could move people with her because how did Khan make it back to the ship without her, even though that wasn't quite why he was so angry, he wondered why she didn't suggest this earlier? They could have had the ship fixed by now and wouldn't have lost as many crew members as they had. This just proved to him that Alicia didn't care about the crew of his ship, but she must care about someone on board, if what she said about not being born if they all died now. So that meant a member of Alicia's family must be on board, who could that be? Not that it mattered at this moment, not to him anyway. "Do you always wait until the last minute before you decide to be the hero?" Kirk asked as he started walking towards her.

"Didn't you ever think... I might have a good enough reason to," Alicia stated with an annoyed look on her face.

Scotty was staring at her with a frightened look on his face. Kirk could tell from that look, that he too didn't like the idea Alicia was suggesting. Kirk knew he still had to be careful; Alicia could very well still be tricking them, but he also knew he would do anything to help his crew and he knew Scotty would too, so if that meant risking his life for them, he would do it in a heartbeat.

"So, what do you say?" Alicia placed both her hands on her hips as she continued to stare back at Kirk with a mean look on her face.

Yes, Kirk could guess her reasons all the way; all Alicia wanted was to save her own skin. Kirk knew he had no choice but to risk this.

Alicia took that moment to face Scotty and actually smiled at him, she very slowly took his hand as Scotty continued to stare at her in fear, but that fear was slowly fading away.

This moment gave Kirk a flashback of when he and Spock were questioning her and Khan in the brig; Alicia had used that same smile on Spock and even stood up against Khan when he tried to emulate Spock. So what did all this mean? Did she know Spock and Scotty from the future? Were they all close?

Kirk was quickly brought back to the present as he felt something touching his hand. He looked down to see Alicia's hand sliding into his.

This also took him back to another memory when Alicia was on the bridge, she had said that Spock was like a father to her... no, they weren't her exact words, but somewhere along that line, so maybe the two of them were like family to her, but where did he and the rest of the crew fit in. Alicia did seem to know him well enough, or she at least made out she did.

"Which way to Engineering?" Alicia asked.

This snapped Kirk back to the present again. "And I thought you knew everything!" He couldn't help adding.

"Just straight down that corridor, take a left, then a right and it's right in front of you," Scotty answered as he directed her.

Alicia smiled at Scotty again, Kirk started wondered how this worked; would it work like the teleport system or would he feel like he was moving faster without moving his legs. Oh, he so hated the unknown, but that was his life all over.

"Thank you, Scotty!"

Before he knew what was happening, he couldn't feel solid ground beneath his feet, it was like he was floating in mid air, but it only lasted a second before he felt his feet on solid ground again, well not quite that solid; he could feel a slight moving sensitisation and before Kirk knew it, he was falling sideways with something falling against him. He reached out trying to find something to hold onto.

All he could find was a cold solid bar. Kirk opened his eyes, which he didn't realise he had closed and saw that he was now in Engineering, well the outskirts anyway; where the tanks and machines were, which kept the Enterprise going, but now there was a lot of stream coming from them. They had landed on one of the footbridges that went over a few of those tanks!

Alicia had been the one to fall against him and guessed that Scotty must have fallen against her. Alicia took that moment to move away from him as Kirk turned to face her, where he could see both her and Scotty. They both seemed to be in one piece, which was the main thing."Great landing, I must say."

"Next time, you can walk!" Alicia stated.

Oh he planned to, he wasn't travelling with Alicia again, not after this anyway, unless it was back to the brig, even then he would have her escorted there, but before he could respond to her, he felt the ship starting to turn once more and before he knew what was happening next he was dangling over the side of the footbridge as the ship made a complete turn.

There was a lot more screaming around him and he dreaded to think what was happening, all he could do was try and keep a hold of the handrail as he was now dangling over the footbridge with a very hot tank beneath him, which could very easily lead to his death.

"I can't hold on much longer," Scotty all of a sudden announced.

Alicia and Scotty were both hanging over the edge alongside him. Kirk wished Alicia wasn't the one beside him then he could be there if Scotty did fall. "Hold on Scotty!"

Kirk wondered why Alicia was still hanging there, she could very easy get herself back on the footbridge and anywhere else for that matter. He had said he wouldn't travel with her again, but in this situation, he would certainly risk it again. This was a matter of life and death and not just for him but for Scotty too!

Just as he was about to ask Alicia... She and Scotty disappeared right in front of him. One minute they were there and the next they were gone, until he heard Scotty's voice coming from above him.

"Oh, thank you, Lass. I really thought I was a gonna then."

Alicia and Scotty were now standing on the footbridge again. Kirk couldn't believe that Alicia had rescued Scotty, but for some reason didn't bother with him... well he certainly wasn't going to beg for her help, he was sure he could find a way out of this; It wasn't the first time he had been in a life or death situation and still lived to tell the tale.

In that next moment he lost hold of the bar with one of his hands and it was now dangling beside him and this was causing a problem with his other hand; he couldn't hold his weight with just one hand and just to prove that, he watched as his fingers slipped one by one.

"Captain!" Scotty suddenly announced.

Kirk's hand slipped off the bar completely and he quickly closed his eyes and realised he had never felt as scared as he was in this very moment. He started to feel himself falling, but instead of meeting one of the tanks below he felt someone grab a hold of his arm. Kirk slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see Alicia and Scotty holding on to him.

"We have you, Captain."

They both slowly started to pull him up, but at the same time he still felt like he was slipping as well.

"It's not going to work, Jim is too heavy for us." Scotty continued going on.

Kirk couldn't believe that Alicia was struggling; when he first lied eyes on her she was fighting nearly 5 Klingons at once, when he was struggling with one. Where had her strength gone?

"Do you think you can hold him for a minute, while I go and get him," Alicia asked Scotty.

"No way, Lass! I'm barely holding him as it is... it's you're strength that is holding him up. If you let go, Jim gets wet and electrified at the same time, resulting in his..."

Kirk quickly interrupted him "… We get the picture Scotty." He couldn't stand the two of them discussing how to get him out of this. Kirk hated being useless and relying on others to help him and worst of all Scotty describing, how he was going to die.

As Kirk continued to hang there, he knew they were wasting more time and that meant more of his crew were dying by the minute, he didn't want to say this, but he knew he couldn't have them being delayed anymore... he would have to sacrifice himself, to at less save the rest of his crew. "Let me go!" he announced.

"No way, you will die," Alicia stated as she and Scotty continued to hold on to him.

"That's right Captain if we let you go you will..."

"...That's an order Mr Scott." He interrupted with His Captain's voice, which he hated using on any of his friends, but sometimes it was the only way to get them to do something that he knew they had to do.

Scotty's face had now turned to shock which was slowly turning to anger. Kirk couldn't face that look anymore and turned to face Alicia and wondered if she would do it without a moment's thought, but as he looked up into her bright, Hazel eyes, he saw a look of sadness and something else that he couldn't place.

"No, I won't let you go. You can't order me around, I'm not one of you're crew yet."

"That's right, Captain and since I quitted, I'm not one of your crew at the moment either, so you can't order me to do anything."

Great, he had forgotten how stubborn Scotty was, but why was Alicia so keen to save him, it wouldn't matter to her if he died, or would it? Kirk knew he still didn't know Alicia all that well, or even at all! He knew that Khan would like to have him out of the way, but as he thought that he knew he couldn't leave his crew to face Khan alone. Kirk realised then, that he somehow had to survive this.

At that thought, Chekov suddenly appeared and jumped right into action; grabbing hold of his arm as well.

"I've got you, Captain."

Kirk was pleased to see that Chekov was unhurt and the kid sure did have some strength in him as now he started to feel himself being pulled up again, he couldn't believe that he was actually going to survive this... he could just imagine what 'Bones' would say this. You certainly have nine life's, which one are you on now?.

"Almost there Jim," Alicia announced.

He had no idea how many life's he had used or how many he had left, but he doubt he had many, or any at all!

Kirk could feel himself slipping again and when he looked up to the three of them above him, he was falling away from their hands completely.

"Oh no... Jim!" Scotty said with fear.

"Captain!" Chekov announced.

He slowly fell further away from them; there was no way he could be saved now. Kirk tightly closed his eyes again, he sure didn't want to see what happened, he knew he would feel it well enough. He hoped it would be a quick death and wondered what he would feel first; the water or the electric shooting through his body or even worse, both! Kirk's mind continued to reel itself as he fell further and further towards his own death.


	19. Alternate Choices

Kirk continued to feel himself falling closer and closer to his death until he felt the sudden impact, but he knew instantly that it wasn't one of the hot water tanks he had landed against; this was another body he felt. Had he landed on a dead crew member, who had already fallen..? No, this body was moving and starting to wrap around him.

A moment later he felt solid ground beneath his feet, but for some reason he couldn't keep his balance. Kirk couldn't understand what was happening to him, he just knew that he was now standing on his feet once again, or at less trying too.

The body that had wrapped around him had now moved away from him, except for a pair of hands resting on both his hips, that was somehow stopping him from falling over completely. Kirk wondered for a moment if he was in heaven, that was until he heard a familiar voice.

"Captain!"

"Captain, are you alright?" Came another familiar voice.

Of course he recognised those voices, they belonged to Scotty and Chekov, so that meant he was still on the Enterprise... Well, he hoped he was! Kirk then started to notice the noises around him; screaming and yelling and a lot of explosions. Then he started to remember what was happening and where he was.

Kirk slowly started to open his eyes and hoped he would find himself in Engineering. The first thing he noticed was a pair of light green eyes looking back at him. No, not just green, there were sparkles of brown in them as well; His friend 'Bones' had saved him. Even as he thought that he knew he was wrong; these eyes were different, but still a little familiar!

He slowly took in the rest of the person's face; which he could now tell was female, to a pair of red lips, a juicy pair of lips... they sure did look so inviting.

"Jim!"

The lips slowly spoke his name and Kirk realised who had just spoken. Kirk quickly took a couple of steps back, out of Alicia's arms completely and stared back at her in shock... He couldn't believe he had just thought about kissing her, it must have been the near death experience that brought it on. He knew he should be grateful, just not that grateful..! God, if he had thought that 4 years ago, he would have just gone with it and took her to bed, he wouldn't have cared who she was or who she was with. Things were different now; he had a ship to run and a crew to save... Of course, the warp core!

At that thought he quickly thanked Alicia by nodding his head at her and then quickly looked away; he couldn't look at her face a moment longer, without staring at those juicy lips. Kirk had to keep remaining himself that she was his prisoner or at that times, he felt like the prisoner himself. He took one look towards the others and saw the concerned looks on their faces and even a hint of shock on Chekov's face, which he knew was because he didn't know Alicia or what she could do. "I'm fine," he reassured them, before running past them, knowing they would follow behind and finally fix what they had come here for.

"Jim, the manual switch!" Scotty suddenly announced, stopping Kirk in his tracks.

He had no idea what Scotty was on about, but could tell in the way he spoke that it was important.

"If we don't switch that first..."

Chekov took that moment to interrupt Scotty. "The manual switch, I've got it!" He said before running up the stairs that was to the left of them.

"How much further? " Alicia asked as she leant her forehead against the palm of her hand.

Kirk could see that she didn't look so good; her cheeks were very pale. Scotty took that moment to place a hand on her shoulder and gave her sympathetic look. He could tell that Scotty had really gotten attached to the girl. Kirk knew he owed her his life, but right now wasn't the time for any of this; he could speak at her trial, but he knew deep down there was no way to thank someone for saving their life, unless there was a way to return the favour and save her and everyone else on this ship.

"What's wrong, Lass? You don't look so good," Scotty asked her.

Alicia slowly lowered her hand and smiled at Scotty. "I'll be fine, lead the way."

"Right, let's go," he quickly said, before taking off again.

As they all arrived in the warp core area, they could all hear a loud warning sound and the computer saying 'Danger, core misaligned!' over and over again. Kirk knew that meant a serious problem with the core.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Scotty kept repeating as he ran on past Kirk and over to the main computer.

Kirk ran over to Scotty where he could see an image of the core on the monitor with a flashing warning light over it. Even though he could hear what the computer was saying, he still didn't understand what it all meant. "What? What is it?" he asked.

"The housings are misaligned, there is no way we can re-direct the power," Scotty now turned to face Kirk complete before continuing to explain. "The ships dead, sir! She's gone!" he announced with a shock and worried expression on his face.

Alicia took that moment to appear right in front of them. For a second there, it made Kirk jumped back quickly in fright, before realising who or what it was; he hadn't realised that Alicia had disappeared.

"So what's happening?" Alicia asked as she looked between the both of them.

Scotty took that moment to gently take her hand and stared right into Alicia's eyes. "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do." He told her.

This couldn't be the end, there had to be a way to fix this; the crew was his responsibility and he wasn't going to lose them like this. If the warp core was broken, then he would have to fix it, even if that meant going in there and fixing it by hand. "No, she's not!" Kirk spoke aloud, which made Scotty and Alicia turn to him in shock and confusion, but he was going to save his crew, no matter what it took.

At that thought, Kirk quickly turned around and started rushing over to the warp core chamber, before Scotty could talk him out of it.

Kirk could hear Scotty chasing after him as he went on about how dangerous it was and how they would be dead before they even made the climbed, but he was determined not to listen, he had to do this, there was no other way; he would be dead either way, but at least this way he might have the chance to save his crew, that was what really mattered.

He continued to ignore Scotty and started punching in the captain override code. As Kirk was doing this he knew that Scotty would properly follow him and he couldn't let that happened, this was his job to do, not anyone else's.

"...We will be dead before we even make the climb!" Scotty continued to say.

"You're not making the climb," Kirk said, before he quickly spun around and punched Scotty square in the face, which knocked him out completely and made him fall backwards into Alicia's arms, who caught him and slowly lowered him to the ground with his head cradled in her lap.

Alicia stared up at him, but it wasn't the look of confusion as he thought he would see, no, it was the look of knowing but not agreeing. "Take care of him." Kirk didn't know why he was trusting her now, but maybe it was because of all that had happened in the last ... How long ago had it been since he saw her outside sickbay? Not that it mattered anyway, he just knew he trusted her to take care of Scotty at least.

"Help me, carry him over to a chair first."

Alicia was right; Scotty needed to be strapped in, he didn't know how long it would take him to do what he needed to do or if he would even make the climb as Scotty as said. No, he couldn't thing along those lines or he will back out altogether and he knew that wasn't an option.

Both of them carried Scotty back over to the main monitor where there was a chair. Kirk quickly pressed the strap down button, to make sure he wouldn't fall out, then he turned to face Alicia. " You should find somewhere to scrap yourself in."

Alicia slowly nodded her head and at that moment Kirk found himself staring into her lovely hazel eyes and that thought of kissing her came into his mind once again. He gazed down at those same juicy lips. Oh, what the hell? He was going to die anyway, so why not go out with a bang.

At that thought, Kirk quickly reached his hand out and wrapped it around the back of her neck and before Alicia knew what was happening, he pulled her towards him and pressed his lips against hers, but one thing totally surprised him. She wasn't responding; she just stood there as stiff as a statue. One thing Kirk would never do was take a girl against her will, it just had never come to that situation before.

Kirk slowly moved away from her, but not before her fist landed squarely in his own face and that one punch sent him flying backwards. He found himself laying on the floor staring back at her in shock. No, girl had ever hit him before!

"Don't. you. ever. do. that. again!" Alicia warned Kirk very slowly.

He quickly shook his head and jumped back up again. Kirk was never one to give in so easily; All girl's loved playing hard to get. "Is that a challenge, my dear Alisa?" He smiled one of his charming smiles that always got him what he wanted, well almost always!

"You want a challenge... then I'll give you a challenge," Alicia said as she stared back at Kirk and slowly reached her hand up and placed it into his.

This truly confused him, but also made him see her in a whole new light, what could she be about to do? Whichever it was he was sure he was going to like it, especially as she started to get closer to him. As Alicia's face got closer to his, he found himself slowly closing his eyes and waiting for her lips to met his again. He started to feel himself getting light headed and felt as light as air, he couldn't even feel the floor beneath him anymore. Wow, a girl had never made him feel like this before, and she hardly touched him let. The next minute he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Jim, what the hell are you doing back here?"

How the hell did McCoy get here? Wouldn't he be in sickbay, helping the injured, especially with the ship still moving about. He quickly opened his eyes to find Alicia stepping away from him; Kirk couldn't believe his friend had chosen this moment to interrupt him, but that was 'Bones' all over.

"Alice, are you alright?"

Now that was Khan's voice. What the hell was going on here? Kirk took that moment to look around him and found he wasn't in the warp core area or even in Engineering altogether. He was now standing in sickbay, where he could she that Khan had McCoy pushed up against the wall with his hand up against his best friends throat. Did Alicia sense this? Did she know Mccoy was in trouble and brought him here to stop Khan or to stop him herself? But couldn't she have done that without him, he had a ship to save, not that he didn't care about his friend, far from it, but Alicia could have done this herself and he could have saved the ship by now. "'Bones,' are you alright?"

"Never been better, I always get strangled by lunatics all the time." McCoy went on his usual manner, which made Khan's hand tighten on his throat, making McCoy gasp in shock.

"**NO KHAN, DON'T DO THAT..!**" Alicia yelled, which made Khan quickly turn to face her, with a mean look on his face.

Kirk realised it was the same look Khan gave her back on Marcus's ship, when Alicia was trying to stand up to him.

"... **OR** **YOU WILL DESTROY ME** **COMPLETELY!**" Alicia continued to yell as she advanced towards them.


	20. Secrets Untold

Alicia continued rushing over to Khan, who was starting to choke McCoy. Kirk took that moment to rush towards Khan as well; there was no way he would lose his friend like this. Khan had to be stopped!

McCoy continued to choke as his face started to lose it's colour as Khan continued to squeeze his neck inch by inch, somehow Alicia's words weren't stopping him, just slowing him down as Alicia reached him and grabbed his arm with both hands.

"**STOP! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!**" Alicia continued to yell at Khan.

"**WHY****?**" Khan yelled back with an angry look.

Kirk certainly didn't like that look, he realised it was the same look Khan gave Alicia back on Marcus's ship, when she first started to stand up to him, like she was doing once again.

Just as Kirk reached them, Khan slowly loosened his grip on McCoy's throat. McCoy took that moment to fall into a coughing fit as he slowly slides down the wall, but Alicia took that moment to rush to his side as Kirk took his other side to hold him as he continued coughing quite harshly, until he started to steady his breathing again. "Bones, are you alright?" He asked him.

"Once... I get... My breathing back... I'll let you know," McCoy answered very slowly as he continued breathing heavily.

"Now tell me why I saved his life?" Khan voice suddenly interrupted them.

As Kirk now turned to face Khan, he saw he was staring at Alicia with a death look on his face as if he was going to kill her this instant, but Kirk knew he wouldn't, he just hoped they didn't get into the same argument, that they had back on Marcus's ship.

Alicia turned to look at Khan with her own look of anger before saying "There was no reason to choke him to death."

"You better tell me now, before I decide to finish the job."

As much as Kirk wanted to know himself, the shaking of the ship was reminding him that time was short; he should be in Engineering right now, fixing the core. "Before you do that." Kirk interrupted them, making them turn their hatred on him. "Take me back to Engineering so I can save this ship."

"Stay out of it, Kirk!" Khan snapped at him before turning back to Alicia, who was still staring at Kirk with a frown on her face as if she was thinking really hard. "Alice!"

This soon had Alicia turning back to face Khan, but the same look was still on her face. "Let's just say McCoy and I are more alike than you think. Now if..!"

Khan took that moment to interrupt her "... What's that suppose to mean?"

Kirk was thinking the same thing and he took that moment to look at McCoy who was now staring at Khan and Alicia in confusion, which he was sure was showing on his own face.

"Excuse Me Miss, but do I know you?" McCoy asked.

McCoy had certainly gotten control of himself quite quickly and was now pulling himself away from Kirk and advanced towards Alicia herself, who took that moment to face him, with a wide smile on her face.

"You did once upon a time," Alicia asked him. "In my eyes anyway."

This girl was such a mystery to him, but one of these days he was going to get the full story out of her, wherever she liked it or not! One thing he did realise was that Alicia sure had a lot of fire in her, just like his friend 'Bones' here. So were they related somehow? Well, it couldn't be by blood because McCoy wasn't related to Pike, so the only other way was through marriage. But which marriage? Their's or through another relative of 'Bones', Oh, he couldn't deal with this right now; it was doing his head in and he sure had to keep a clear head, especially if he still had to save his crew.

At that thought he interrupted the silence, they had sudden fallen in the room. "As interesting as that sounds, could we please continue this another time, or his everyone here willing to die?"

Khan took that moment to stare at him. "Go and do your job then, Captain."

This guy was truly getting on his nerves. Kirk was about to yell back at Khan about his girlfriend stopping him with all these tricks she keeps playing when Alicia all of a sudden took that moment to speak instead.

"You guys play nice now" Alicia quickly added. "As I have work to do!" Alicia took that moment to close her eyes before she started going invisible; first her face and then the rest of her until she disappeared completely.

Kirk stared at her in shock; he had never seen anyone beam away like that before, saying that, he had never seen anyone self-beam full stop! Wait a moment, what did Alicia just say? A job to do, what job did she have to do? Oh no, she was going to take his place, was she?

What was Alicia playing at? Was she really going to risk her life to save the ship, no that can't be right, that was his job and why would she risk her life for all of us? His crew must mean to her than she makes out.

"Kirk, what the hell is going on?" Khan stepped up close to Kirk and glared straight at him.

Great now he had Khan on his back and Kirk doubted he would be glad to hear what his girlfriend was about to do. Was this day going to get any better, properly not if Alicia had gone and done what he was going to do, Kirk just knew he had to get to Engineering and fast! But even he knew he wasn't that fast, Alicia was properly already in the chamber. "Alicia is about to expose herself to a lot of radiation," Kirk asked him.

"**WHAT!**" Khan yelled in shock. "**HOW!**"

There wasn't time to explain, Kirk knew he had to get there just in case Alicia didn't make it. "The warp core!" Kirk answered him before turning around and running towards the door.

Just as the sickbay doors hissed open McCoy took that moment to speak "Jim, we have another situation going on here that needs your immediate attention."

This made Krk stopped dead in the doorway. Great there was so much he could do and the warp core was more urgent than anything at this moment.

Just then, Kirk saw something rush past the corner of his eye.

"**ENGINEERING, NOW!**"

Kirk heard Khan yell as he ran past him.

"It'll have to wait," Kirk answered McCoy before taking off after Khan.

Kirk soon caught up with Khan, who had slowed down to wait for him. He couldn't believe that Khan and he were teaming off together and all for the same girl.

"What is going on, Kirk?" Khan asked interrupting his Kirk's thoughts.

"We needed to stabilize the warp care and it looks like Alicia decided to take my place in doing that, manually!"

"Bloody hell!"

The next minute Khan rushed on ahead of him and started disappearing down the corridor. Kirk cursed is superhuman abilities and was glad that Alicia didn't say anything about him trying to kiss her or he would properly be dead by now.

Kirk continued rushing after Khan and hoped he didn't make the situation worse when he found his dead girlfriend as there was no way anyone could survive that, not even Alicia.

By the time Kirk made it back to the warp core area, he was physical exhausted. When he had reached the tank area where he had almost lost his life if it hadn't been for Alicia and now she was risking her life for him again, well maybe not just him, his crew or maybe it was just for Khan himself. The ship at that point had started to steady itself and Kirk knew that somehow Alicia had accomplished the task and had fixed the warp core.

Scotty greeted him before he reached the chamber where the warp core was and he certainly wasn't happy about the fact that he might get to live, Kirk knew it was because they now had a dead girl, a girl that Scotty had grown fond of in the short amount of time he knew her. Kirk wasn't very enthusiastic about it either; he was supposed to be the dead person, not her.

"I don't think you want to go back there," Scotty warned him with tears in his eyes. "It's not a pretty sight."

Kirk waited for Scotty to say more; he always had a tale to tell, but this time Scotty went very quiet and just stared back with a blank look on his face. Kirk knew that he had never trusted Alicia, but she had brought that onto herself, but he would never wish for her to go like this. He dreaded to ask but had to know where things stood. "How's Khan taking it?"

"How would you be watching your girlfriend dying? Scotty snapped at him.

That certainly made him take a step back in shock, he never expected Scotty to snap back at him like this. It reminded him of this morning when they argued over the torpedos, Kirk really wanted to take that back, he should have listened to Scotty.

"I'm sorry, Captain. I don't know where that came from," Scotty apologised.

Kirk took a step forward again and placed his hand on Scotty's shoulder. "No need to apologise." He knew he should say more, but just didn't know what else to say. Scotty nodded his head and that alone proved to Kirk that things were fine between them. "Why don't you contact Dr McCoy and I'll see how the situation is," He said, hoping that would help Scotty if he had something to do.

He slowly made his to the warp core chamber expecting to find Khan all upset over his dead girlfriend, He remembered that moment in the brig where Khan started to get emotional when he spoke of his crew, Kirk wondered how he would be over Alicia's death?

Before Kirk rounded the corner he heard a quiet sob as if someone was crying, but trying not to make a sound over it.

"_Alice... Alice please_..!"

That must have been Khan's voice, but it sounded so faint.

"... _Just try, for me..!_

Khan must be pleading for Alicia's life, hoping she would wake up; there might be a few things she could do that many couldn't, but Kirk doubt she could come back from the dead.

Just as Kirk rounded the corner completely, Khan spoke again. "_Beam yourself outta there._"

What Kirk found wasn't what he expected; Khan was crouched down in front of the door that lead into the warp core chamber and Alicia was lying dead on the other side of the glass.

"_You have to try again_," Khan kept pleading with her. "_Don't give up yet!"_

Just then, Kirk was taken by complete surprise as Alicia slowly started opening her eyes, not completely, just enough to see through them. He couldn't believe that she was still alive, but Kirk could tell she was very weak as if she was struggling to focus; her head was leaning against the glass but in an up-right position. If Kirk hadn't seen her move her eyelids, he would have still thought she was gone, but then her lips started moving ever so slowly, at first he couldn't make out what she was saying, until she got a little louder, not that loud but enough for him to hear her.

"_I can't.._!" Alicia was trying to say.

Kirk could tell she was breathing heavy and was struggling to talk; Alicia didn't have that much time left before the radiation stopped her heart altogether. He knew there was nothing they could do, even though he wished he could. Damn Alicia, it should have been him lying there, but why did she do this? Kirk then remembered that Alicia said she wouldn't be born if they didn't save the ship, so she must have a parent abroad, he wondered who it was?

"_Grandpa... My grandpa!_" Alicia kept saying. _"I. Want. To. See. My. _Grandpa," she said very slowly.

Khan lifted his head at this and stared at Alicia with a confused look on his face. Kirk wondered if she remembering her life in the future or did she know her grandfather was aboard, but who was he?

Khan took that moment to voice Kirk's thoughts loud. "Who is your grandpa?"

"He is... He is..!" Alicia struggled to say before her body started relaxing and her eyelids closed completely.


	21. Khan's Plan - Stage One

As Kirk stood there in silence, staring down at Alicia, he knew that she was now gone, his vision started going cloudy and realised that he was crying, crying over a girl he had hardly known. Why did she have to do this? It should have been him, not her.

Suddenly Kirk was violently shaken out of his thoughts when he heard a loud scream and for a moment there he thought Alicia had come back to life, but it wasn't quite as irritating as her's, it sure was loud thought, maybe that was because the person who had screamed was right next to him.

Khan slowly raised his head as he looked up to the ceiling and his screaming just got louder and louder. Kirk couldn't blame him, he was just glad Khan wasn't taking it out on the ship.

That was until Khan decided to turn and face him with a death look on his face. "**THIS IS YOUR FAULT KIRK IF YOU HAD DONE YOUR JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED,**" Khan yelled right into Kirk's face.

How dare he blame me, I wasn't the one playing cat and mouse. "**I WASN'T THE ONE WHO MADE HER DO THIS**," Kirk yelled back. He so wanted to say more but decided it wasn't worth it; Khan was that worked up, he properly wouldn't listen anyway.

"**DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT**," Khan continued to yell back. "**YOU MADE HER TAKE YOUR PLACE, SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DIE, DIDN'T YOU KIRK?**"

"**HOW DARE YOU..!**"

"**YOU'RE JUST A COWARD, AREN'T YOU?**" Khan interrupted. "**A COWARD, WHO IS AFRAID TO LIVE UP TO HIS OWN RESPONSIBILITIES.**"

This was really making Kirk's blood boil. It was one thing being accused of something, he could live with that, he had been accused of things all his life, even if some of those things were true, but he would never put up with being called a coward, cowardly afraid of his own duties as captain. He had been through quite a lot to get to where he was now. "**YOU CAN TALK, THE GUY WHO GOES ON A MURDERING RAMPAGE, WHEN HE CAN'T GET HIS OWN WAY,**" Kirk yelled back.

"**THAT IS ENOUGH, YOU TWO..!**"

Did Khan just say that without moving his lips, no of course not, that was a Scottish accent, so it could only be one person.

"**YOU ARE ACTING LIKE TWO SCHOOL BOYS FIGHTING OVER WHO IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER**," Scotty yelled back.

Kirk slowly turned to face Scotty, knowing that he was right; this certainly wasn't the time or the place to argue over something so ridiculous.

**STAY OUT OF IT**!" Khan suddenly yelled.

This certainly made Kirk step away from them both as he started rubbing his ear; Khan had decided to yell that right into his ear.

"**IF YOU TWO WOULD STOP YELLING AT EACH OTHER FOR TWO SECONDS, YOU MIGHT REALISE THAT THIS LOVELY LASS HAS BEEN WATCHING THIS WHOLE TIME.**" Scotty suddenly added making them all look back down at Alicia.

Could Scotty being telling a last minute joke, to detract us? But Kirk knew that he wouldn't joke about something like that, so that could only mean one thing.

Kirk found a pair of bright green eyes staring back up at him. How could this be happening? Alicia should be dead, he had seen her die. No-one could live through the radiation that was surely eating away at her.

"Alice!" Khan spoke her name as he crouched down in front of the glass that was separating him from Alicia.

This time Alicia didn't answer him back, the only way you could tell she was still alive was the way her eyes followed Khan's movements, but her head didn't move an inch. Kirk could only guess that she hadn't quite passed away yet, but you could tell how close she was; what with the way, she could only move her eyes and no other part of her body.

"Dr. McCoy, is sending two men to pick her up." Scotty spoke quietly into Kirk's ear.

Kirk slowly nodded his head as he continued to stare down at Alicia; he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her... That was until he realised what Scotty had actually said. He quickly turned to face him in confusion, this surely was strange. "Where is McCoy?" He asked Scotty.

"Said something about a major situation in Sickbay."

Of course, people would be pouring in there by the minute. Wait a moment, 'Bones' had something to him before he left or tried to at least; something about an Emergency situation, that required his urgent attention. 'Bones' must of meant something that wasn't medical related. Kirk wondered what he could have meant? Either way, he knew he had to go back to Sickbay before he went to the bridge.

When Kirk finally did step back into Sickbay, Khan was in front of him carrying Alicia in his arms; he had refused to let anyone else carry her, even though he was warned that he shouldn't touch her, encase the radiation spread, but Khan being, who he was, wouldn't listen.

On the way over here Kirk had wondered how Khan could have carried her for so long, he was sure Alicia wasn't that light, but he carried her as if she was as light as a feather.

As Khan lied Alicia down on one of the empty beds, which he was lucky to find; Sickbay was packed, there was hardly room to move, but Khan just pushed is way past everyone, not really caring who got in his way. A few people were knocked to the floor, but Kirk just helped them back up again as he continued to follow, looking around for his friend at the same time.

McCoy was over at the far end of the room attending to a patient. Kirk was about to approach him until he heard his rank being called out over the noise in the room.

"Captain!"

Kirk turned to the sound of the voice and saw Spock walking over to him, he was glad to see he looked unharmed, but he wasn't ready to deal with everything just yet, he had to find out what 'Bones' was going on about first. He should know better though; with being Captain, he had to be able to deal with everything at once.

Spock slowly approached him before saying "Good, to see you in one piece, Captain!"

Well, he certainly didn't feel that way, he was aching from head to toe. "I'm glad, you got us through, Spock."

"I hear, you were the one to get us through."

"Not me Spock, that would be down to one of our mysterious prisoners." He corrected Spock while turning back around to see that Khan had disappeared.

Alicia was still lying on the bed with her eyes right on him. If Alicia hadn't chosen that moment to blink, he would of thought she was finally gone, but was somehow still fighting this.

Where had Khan gone, why would he abandon her now, when he was so determined to stay close to her? Must have lost his patients and gone after 'Bones' already. He looked back over at his friend to find he had been right, there was Khan right beside him, but he wasn't demanding his attention, he was assisting him, as if trying to help. Why would he do that? When his girlfriend was going to die any minute now.

"This girl is somehow still alive," Spock stated behind him.

Kirk turned back around to find a confused look on his first officer's face, which he didn't get to see very often. "Yes, I see that, but how? That much radiation should have killed her by now.

"From what I can see her body as already failed her, except for her eyes."

"Which is a big mystery! Now, how many times have I said that today?"

It's the first time you have said that to me, Captain." Spock tried correcting him in his usual way.

"Never mind, Spock. I'm sure McCoy will have the answer." Speaking of his friend... Kirk turned back around to see Khan was chatting to McCoy and he could tell it was about the patient they were attending to. Who was this patient? He couldn't see this person as McCoy and Khan were blocking his view.

He truly didn't want to leave Alicia on her own, not while she was like this, but he just had to know why Khan was so keen to stay over there, then be with his girlfriend? Kirk slowly turned back to Spock. "Stay with her Spock, I'll be right back."

"Captain, we have a situation that needs your immediate attention," Spock quickly added.

Great, another one! He could only deal with one at a time; he was only human after all. "Understood, but I think we have one here as well."

"Do you have medical knowledge, Captain?" Spock asked.

Of course he didn't, Spock knew that, so why was he asking me? "No, why do you ask?"

"Then I don't see how you are required here."

Tropical of Spock, everything had to be logical. He sure hoped he could change this and get him to feel some emotion once in a while, like his older self, but sometimes Kirk wondered if he would ever be able to achieve that. "I just need a quick word with Dr. McCoy."

Spock nodded his head, which Kirk knew was a sign that he accepted that. He quickly turned around and took off after Khan, determined to find out what was going on and who this other person was?

As he slowly approached them, he made his way to the bottom of the bio-bed to where he would be able to see the patient clearly.

What Kirk saw took him by complete surprise; In front of him lay a young girl with a tanned complexion and white hair flowing around her face, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He just wished she would open her eyes so he could know the colour of them.

This girl just laid there with her eyes closed while McCoy was scanning her belly, which was very large and round; he could see that this mysterious girl was pregnant. Who could this girl be? She certainly wasn't one of his crew and how the hell did she get aboard his ship?


	22. Two Mysterious Patients

Kirk continued to stare at this mysterious patient, taking in the fine details of her face; She was pretty young, he'd guess early 20s!

"Jim!"

The only thing was, this girl was either in a lot of pain or having a bad dream, as her eyelids kept fluttering. Kirk guessed it was properly both!

"Oh, Jim..."

Someone now started to wave their hand in front of his vision, snapping him out of his deep thoughts.

"Snap out of it, would you?" Came McCoy's voice.

He wondered how long he had been spaced out like this? This had never happened to him before, he was always aware of everything around him. Until now, that is! How could this girl hypnotize him, like this? He knew one thing though, she was very intriguing!

As he slowly turned to face his friend, he knew he could let everyone know that he really did space out, just then. "Would you care to enlighten me, on who this girl is? He asked McCoy.

His friend starts to glare at him and Kirk would know that look very well. It meant that he should know the answer and McCoy, wasn't very amused by that question at all.

"If you had listened to me earlier, instead of running off, you would know as much as I do." McCoy turned his head to face his patient. "Which isn't much, I must say!" He continued to say.

He could never understand why his friend always contradicted himself? Kirk turns back to look at that stunning face, once again. "Well, what do you know?" He asked.

"Rox, is my wife!" Khan interrupted them.

Did he just hear that right? Kirk quickly turns to face Khan, who had now moved to the other side of the bed, stroking the side of her face. His wife! Wow, he never saw that one coming.

"...With my child growing inside her," Khan continued to say.

Wait a minute, he thought Alicia was his girlfriend. What a shy bastard! He wondered if Alicia, knew all this, he bet, she didn't! So now his girlfriend was dying, who might actually be dead by now, didn't care about her. Kirk wondered if Alicia had just been Khan's piece on the side, until he got his wife unfrozen.

Unfrozen! How did Khan manage to do that? Without anyone noticing... He knew his crew would have been distracted with recent events, but he knew 'Bones' would have noticed; he never missed anything that happened in his sickbay. This truly confused him, like everything else did today. "How the hell did you find time to revive her, as well as everything else today?"

Khan lips slowly moved up into a wide grin. "Can't you guess?" He asked before turning his head slightly to face Kirk.

Guessing games again! What was it with Khan and his games? He had truly had enough of them.

Khan took that moment to lift his head slightly and looked ahead of him, nodding his head at the same time. Kirk slowly looked in that direction and saw his first officer place his fingers gently over Alicia's face; Spock was trying to mind-meld with her!

All of a sudden, Khan decided to shout very loud.

"**NO, DON'T DO THAT!**" Khan then took off running towards Spock. "**YOU, WILL KILL HER!**"

He himself wouldn't think Alicia was strong enough for that. Kirk remembered when the older Spock did that to him, on Delta Vega and it almost took all his energy away, not to mention the effect it had on his emotions. So, did Khan somehow still care for her or was there another reason he was trying to stop Spock? Something in her mind, that he didn't want to be relieved.

Kirk watched as Khan approach them, just in time for Spock to jump back quickly as if he had just been burned. He wondered what Spock had seen or maybe felt, for him to break contact like that?

Spock at that moment started falling towards the floor as if is legs couldn't hold him up any longer, but somehow he managed to grab hold of the edge of the bed that Alicia was laying on, pervading his fall.

At that moment, Kirk rushed straight over to him, but McCoy beat him to it and was already dashing on ahead.

"Serves you right!" Khan snapped before leaning over close to Alicia and now started stroking her cheek as well.

"Spock!" McCoy sounded very concern as he stepped up beside Spock, but hesitated, on touching him.

"I'm quite alright, Doctor." Spock tried to reassure him as he slowly stood up again, but then his knees started wobbling a little before he started leaning back on the bed behind him, where another Patient looked on.

"Alright, my arse!" McCoy grumbled on while he started scanning Spock's face with a tricorder.

"That isn't necessary!" Spock continued to argue.

Kirk watched on with worry, for his first officer. He also knew that Spock always denied treatment, even if he really needed it, that reminded him of himself; he hated medical or maybe it was because it is best friend wouldn't stop fussing over him. "Let the Doctor, check you over Spock, that was quite a fall you almost had," he ordered Spock.

Spock took that moment to look over at Kirk, with that usually blank look on his face. "As you wish, Captain." He then looked straight down at Alicia with a confused look.

He followed his look to find Alicia was staring back at them, with bright, green eyes, that now had a golden halo around them, he knew the trick of the lights could do that to your eyes, but not as bright as Alicia's were.

"Gran..."

A very, quiet squawk came out of her mouth and Kirk could only just make out what Alicia was trying to say. Was she trying to say Gran or was it another word and she was having trouble saying it. He started to remember what Alicia said to them back at the warp core – Grandfather! She wanted to see her grandfather before she died, maybe she might just get that chance if she holds on a little longer.

Wait a minute, did Alicia say that to Spock, or was it, McCoy. No, he doubted it was Spock, he couldn't be a real grandfather. So that only left his best friend 'Bones', who was staring back at her in confusion, like he was doing as well.

"Grand..." Alicia continued to try and say. "Grandpa!" She finally said.

McCoy took that moment to step towards Alicia. "I'm afraid you must have me mistaken, by someone else," he stated while he started scanning his tricorder over Alicia. "Jim..! Jim!"

Kirk quickly started shaking his head, it had taken a moment to realise 'Bones' was calling for him. He truly wasn't sure if he believed his best friend, was this girl's grandfather. He found that very person staring back at him, with another ignored look on his face.

"I know there are a lot of beautiful women around, but could you just get your head out of cloud 9, for just a moment."

Tropical of 'Bones' to think my mind is occupied of women, well it is, but not at this moment. I'm trying to get my head around the idea of my grumpy friend being a grandfather. "So, can you help her?" I asked.

"I don't know, how I can help either of them! This girl's heart is beating slower, by the minute, but her mind is determined to fight it," McCoy stated.

"What do you mean by that? Is she dying or not?" I demanded to know.

"Yes and no... Oh, I don't know! This girl is way behind my expertise," McCoy stated in confusion. "And the other girl, is almost the same; Weak heart! Can't coop with the strain of her pregnancy, but determined to fight it, every step of the way." He took that moment to stand straighter, but not taking his eye's of Alicia.

Alicia was staring right back, with a sort of an amusing look on her face, as if McCoy wasn't seeing the bigger picture.

"Grandpa!" She called out again.

Why was this girl so confusing? Was the future really going to turn out like her? So Complicated! That was until Khan shed a little light on the conversation.

"Marcus experimented on her mind."

Kirk took that moment to stare back at him in shock and he noticed that McCoy and Spock were doing the same. Even a few other people in the room went quiet – In that next instant, he saw someone step up beside him and he recognised that perfume; It was Carol! Admiral Marcus's daughter, the very person Khan was speaking about.

"Captain!"

Spock's voice floated through his ears, so he turned to face him and realised he was now standing up straight again, with no problems at all.

"When I tried to mind-meld, I was blinded by too many fears and emotions. Miss Pike, has far too many for a human, her age,"

After being experimented on, he bet she was suffering with more than just that. What a thing to go through! No wonder, Alicia was so confusing. Kirk wondered if any of this could be why, she could self-beam?

"I also saw three different lives," Spock continued to explain.

"What does that even more?" McCoy asked him.

He was thinking the same thing, did Alicia somehow, lead three different identities? She must be one busy girl, to lead three lives.

"It means, she has lived in three different worlds and they are all mixed up in her head."

Three different worlds, not identities. How is that even possible? Just then the older Spock came into his mind; he had travelled from an alternate reality, did Alicia somehow come with him?

"You mean, this young girl, doesn't even know, who she is, herself? That would explain why, she is keeps calling me 'Grandpa'," McCoy went on.

"It would also explain, why the other me, puts so much trust in her." Spock confirmed, Kirk's thoughts.

So that only meant one thing, if he wanted to know anything about Alicia, he could only ask one other person.

"Don't worry Alicia..." They all heard Khan mumble. "I will found a way to help you. If it's the last thing I do!"


	23. Stage Two Unfolding

After leaving sickbay, Kirk found another situation on his hands.

'Sinike' was standing outside with a security personal, each side of her - So Alicia had saved both Khan and his mother from Marcus ship before it exploded.

"This is the situation, I was trying to tell you about," Spock announced, as he stepped up beside Kirk. "We found her trying to break into the main, computer room."

The computer room was in Engineering, so he couldn't believe how she had managed to get there with the way the ship had been tossing around? Not to mention the long skirt Mandy chose to wear.

"How the hell did you even manage to make it to Engineering?" Kirk asked.

A very small grin started to appear on her face and that smirk alone reminded him of how Khan looked when he knew something no-one else did. Like mother, Like son!

"You think, I'm going to tell you," Mandy said with anger in her voice. "You may have Alicia wrapped around your finger, but you won't get anything from me."

What was Mandy talking about? Alicia did whatever the hell she wanted to, hadn't listened to a word he had said.

He could properly guess why Mandy was in the computer room, it was the main thing Khan wanted; Control over the ship! That was one thing Kirk wouldn't let happen. This was his ship – Speaking of the Enterprise, he had to get the bridge and find out how his crew were getting on with fixing the ship and what he could do to help. They had to get back to Earth, somehow!

At that thought, Kirk knew he couldn't deal with Khan's mother at this very moment, but he still had to keep a watch over her... Who knew what she would try and do next! So he turned to one of the security guards. "Take her into Sickbay and keep watch over Khan and his mother," He ordered.

He knew, if he took her to the brig, Khan would act up again and he couldn't be dealing with that as well as the ship so there was only one place, where she might not do as much damage well, he hoped not, or he would have 'Bones' on his back.

"Yes, Sir!" The Security personally responded back, before both guards guided Mandy past Kirk and Spock.

"You won't win..." Mandy was determined to have the last word. "You'll generation is too weak."

Kirk slowly turned around to see Mandy glaring bk at him as she was lead into Sickbay.

"My son, will win this battle no matter how long it takes!" Mandy finished saying as the Sickbay doors slide closed, behind her.

He had no doubt, that Khan could do as Mandy said, but Kirk knew he would fight back until he took his last breath. At the moment, though... he was too occupied on helping his wife and girlfriend – What a lucky, son of a bitch!

"Captain, I suggest we get to the Bridge, promptly," Spock stated.

"Yes, Spock..." Kirk took that moment to turn back around and continue along the corridor. "Let's see what the damage is," Kirk mumbled, more to himself than to Spock.

Spock obversely took that as a direct statement for himself. "I'm sure, that will come clear, when we arrive at the Bridge." He responded back.

"You're sure..." Kirk couldn't help adding. "Normally, you're certain!" He teased.

"If this, is you'll human way of joking. I don't see where any of this is amusing." Spock fired back.

Tropical of Spock, to take him serious – He should have known better than to have a joke with him. Kirk just hoped that his friend would have lightened up a bit and showed more of his human side, by now. Like the other Spock did on Delta Vega! "Never mind!" He wasn't in the mood to explain things to him.

Everything went silent between them as they continued along the corridor, leaving Kirk's mind to wonder... How could he get Spock to show more emotion and not to be afraid of it? He was certain, they could become good friends if Spock would just lighten up a little – Now, if it had been 'Bones', he would have just taken him out and got a few bourbons down him. But Kirk doubted that would work with Spock! Maybe he could ask Alicia; he remembered the interaction they both had on Bridge. Even after he thought that, Kirk dismissed it. Alicia was on her death bed, so there would be no other way as he knew there was no point speaking to the other Spock on that subject; He had tried that once before and just got the cold shoulder.

All of a sudden, a warning sound snapped Kirk out of his thoughts. A yellow light was reflecting off the walls, letting him know that there was a situation going on, that needed everyone alert and just to confirm this an announcement echoed into his ears.

'_**All personally to their workstations!**_'

"Captain..." Sulu's voice followed, but before he said the last part, Kirk was already quickening his pace and rushing for the elevator. "To the Bridge!" Sulu finished saying.

Great, just what they needed – His crew already had enough on their plates, trying to fix the Enterprise. They certainly didn't need another situation added on top of that. Kirk hoped it didn't come too serious as the crew were only half manned as it was. What with the other half in Sickbay or even worse... No, he wasn't going to go there. If he did, there was no way he would be able to stay calm.

The elevator doors opened on his approach, he rushed in, pressing the button for the Bridge before he turned around, just in time to see Spock stepping in as the doors closed after him.

As soon as the doors opened, Kirk stepped forward and then froze... Staring ahead, with a confusing look on his face. He could see Spock stepping up beside him and he too looked just as surprised, by what was going on in front of them – Nothing! There was no activate at all. His crew should be at least, going backwards and forwards laying out, all that was happening so he could work out what to do.

The bridge itself was still here, everything as it should be, except for a few instrument panels hanging off by their hinges. There was just one thing, Kirk thought he would never see, especially while in flight; A deserted Bridge! There was no one manning the ship or any other control for that matter. Where was Sulu or Uhura? And everyone else!

"Captain..!" Spock started to say but then paused as if he too didn't know what to say.

"Spock, what did you do with my Bridge crew?" He couldn't help asking.

"Do, Captain..! Everyone was accounted for when I left the Bridge." Spock added after a small pause.

Kirk was only teasing, he knew Spock had nothing to do with this – He just didn't know what else to say. Still didn't! "What the hell happened here?" That wasn't a direct question... Just a thought that came flying out of his mouth.

"It sure happened fast, whatever it was." Spock finally said.

So whatever this warning had meant, it had taken the Bridge crew. At that thought, Kirk quickly turned to face the main viewing screen, to find Spock had already beaten him to it. "Is that what I think it is? He heard himself asking – Hoping and praying, he was right.

"It can't be..." Spock started to answer, before going silent again.

Now, Kirk didn't expect that answer; Spock normal had an answer for everything or at least a scientific reason. "Our navigation must be malfunctioning too."It was the only thing he could think of as he continued to stare back at the planet that was mostly blue, except for parts that were brown and white. The only place he knew of as his home planet... Earth!

At that moment, Spock rushed behind him out of his view. Kirk could only guess he had gone searching for answers at his own console. He slowly turned, to find he was right and slowly headed over to him... Giving him time to have an answer before he got there.

Spock had an answer as soon as Kirk stepped up beside him. "It is Earth, but not the Earth, we know."

Now that answer truly did confuse Kirk; Either it was or it wasn't! "You need to give me more than that," He added, waiting as Spock continued sliding his fingers across the console.

After a few minutes had gone by, Kirk started to get impatient and started shovelling his feet about, hoping it would encourage Spock to finally answer him. When it didn't, Kirk slowly reached out and gently placed his hand on Spock's shoulder before finally saying... "Well..!"

Spock took that moment to look up at him with a blank on his face, which wasn't unusually for Kirk, it was just that look in Spock's eyes as if he was glaring daggers at him, wanting to kill him any moment. It made him take a slow step back as Spock took to his feet and finally spoke.

"Patients!"

Patients! Spock was talking as if they had all the time in the world if this was even Spock at all. Of course it was... Or maybe it wasn't! Kirk decided to play along to see where this would lead, hoping he was wrong; He couldn't lose his Bridge crew as well as Spock. "Look around you, Spock..." He started to say as he himself, followed his own advice. "Does it look like we have all the time in the world?" He continued to say, spinning around in a complete circle, before turning back to Spock again.

Kirk found himself staring back at an empty chair, that Spock at been sitting at just moments ago. Now, where did he go? He looked around, once again. Even though, he knew deep down that Spock had just vanished, like the rest of the crew on the Bridge.

After confirming his thoughts, not finding Spock. He made his way over to his chair and reached out to press the button that communicated with the rest of the ship... He had to know if it was the whole ship, but deep down, he knew he needed to hear a familiar voice.

"Kirk, to Sickbay!" He waited a few moments, but when no voice came through, he tried again. "Kirk to Sickbay! McCoy, you answer me, damn it!" He could now feel his heart beating a mile a minute as his fist landed the top of the chair. Calm down, Jim! You couldn't possibly be the last person aboard. "Kirk to Engineering! Scotty, are you there?" He was determined to prove to himself, that he was wrong. **"IS THERE ANYONE LEFT ONBOARD?"** He heard himself yelling, before he slowly lowered himself into his chair, glaring ahead and finally taking a deep breath.

** To Be continued!**

**Note: If you would like me to continue, please let me know. (The more response I get... The more encouraged I will get) Also, I'd love to hear what you all think and what you would like to see happen in part two. So please Review!**


	24. An Abandoned Puppy

**Note: For some reason Fanfiction won't let me upload new stories so I have to continue this story after the first part. So here it is... Part Two of Khan's Mystery Girl.**

**Summary: They managed to stop Khan... Or did they? Lost in space with no crew - What is a Captain to do? And a crew with a mad Captain in charge. What could possibly go wrong? Two worlds must found a way to become one. The difference between loyalty and trust is put to the test.**

**Khan's Mystery Girl 2**

**Kirk's POV...**

"God damn it!"

A voice echoed around the deserted Bridge – Except for Captain Kirk, sitting in his chair staring out the viewscreen at the look-alike Earth planet... Until he was snapped back into reality, making him jump slightly in his chair.

"What is it? I'm busy here."

Kirk was so grateful to hear his chief Medical Officer's voice, even if he did sound angry. He was so used to his friends grumpy manner.; Ever since he first met the guy on the shuttle to Starfleet, Bones's attitude had always amused him. Even if he had acted otherwise. Leonard was the only guy who stuck by him at the academy, no matter what he did.

"Sorry, Captain. A little busy here."

Another voice came through, interrupting him from his thoughts. So this meant he wasn't alone... Kirk normally wouldn't like it when his crew didn't respond almost straight away, but he knew they both had a lot on their plates; What with the Enterprise's warp core malfunctioning, causing the ship to lose control and half the ship's crew in Sickbay or recovering in their quarters.

Kirk jumped right into action, pressing his finger down on the communications button so he could respond to his Medical and Engineering officers. "Bones! Scotty! It's so good to hear your voices." He quickly blurted out with enthusiasm.

"Tell me, you didn't just call me for that," McCoy stated with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"No, of course not!" Kirk responded back. He had to get himself back into check; there was another situation on his hands. He had only been Captain for just over a year now and everything was coming at once.

"Get to the point. I have patients here that need my help more than you do." McCoy continued on in his usual manner.

Kirk slowly took a deep breath before saying... "Have any of you two noticed anything strange happening in the last few minutes or so?" Or however long it was since he and Spock arrived on the bridge, to find it completely empty and then a few minutes after Spock started acting strangely before he too vanished. Was he next?

"Unless you're talking about a mad manic and his three... Whatever you want to call them."

Kirk quickly interrupted his friend. "Bones, I'm serious!" Although he was right; Khan and his family were the strangest they had come across. Especially Alicia! What was it that Khan really wanted? He knew that Khan wanted his crew back and get his revenge on Starfleet. Even though his plan had been stopped by Spock, Kirk still had the feeling that there was more going on than that. He just wasn't sure if Khan was behind all this or if it was the planet in front of them. Either way, he had to find out what had happened to his bridge crew before it was too late.

"What do you mean by strange, Captain?" Scotty interrupts his thoughts.

Now, how was he going to explain without sounding like he had gone crazy... What the hell? Both of them had seen at least one girl self-beam from one ship to another so why would this sound any more insane? "As anyone vanished in front of you?" He asked. Now that did sound wrong – There were plenty of other things he could have said. Does it even matter? Still means the same thing.

"That sure isn't funny Jim. That girl is almost in a coma-like state and could very well slip away any moment." McCoy moaned back.

Tropical of Bones to think I'd insult a girl so close to death. Actual deep down, he couldn't believe his best friend would think that low of him. Maybe when they first met, he wouldn't have given a damn. But since meeting Chris and Bones, he had become to realise that he did care.

All this didn't matter now, though. His Bridge crew could be hurt or even worse... No, he wasn't going to go there. He would get his crew back safe and sound. Even if it was the last thing he did. "Bones, I'm not talking about Alise..."

"Blood-Y Hell!" McCoy suddenly interrupted him. Sounding very surprised and struggling to form his words.

Kirk could still understand what he was saying, the reason was a mystery to him; Bones only talked like that when something in possible was happening. "Bones, what is it?" He asked. Wondering if it this was now spreading around the ship. He surely hoped that wasn't the case.

Everything all of a sudden went very quiet, except for a few gasps, but even they were getting fewer and fewer until not a sound was heard. Kirk thought for a moment that he truly was alone now - Until he heard a very loud bang. So loud, it made him jump right out of his chair in fright.

"Oh, no. No. No!" Scotty's voice came a second later. Until all went quiet, once again.

Kirk slowly turned around staring down towards the arm of his chair. He had the feeling... He was a lost puppy and his owners had just abandoned him; He had just witnessed the disappearance of his crew as if they had just vanished right in front of him. But no, all he could see was his chair sitting in the middle of the room... Where it should be. It sure sounded like his crew had gone as there was no more voices or any other noise coming through the communicator. It could just be his Medical and Engineering officers had cut themselves off. But for some reason, Kirk did feel alone. It was the same feeling he had as a child while growing up. Basically till the moment, he became Captain and had gained a family and now even they had been taken from him.

All of a sudden, he felt the urge to press that button again, but he held himself back. What good would it do anyway? He knew now that no one would answer. He truly didn't want to confirm his thoughts either. Instead, Kirk took a slow look around, hoping it would bring his crew back. When the workstations remained empty, he took a deep breath and wondered what he should do now.

Kirk knew he hadn't been trained for this and there was only one reason why. And for the first time he was taking in the effects of what this could do; No ship can be manned by one person alone! Especially, with no warp core. There was one thing, he knew he should do and that was to get a message to Starfleet. But with what happened with Admiral Marcus, he wasn't quite ready for that step. Anyway, he always liked to work things out on his own.

He took that moment to settle his eyes on his Science officer's Chair, where is First officer had disappeared. Kirk knew he might find the information he needed about the planet on that very station, but the thought of vanishing too, held him back; Spock vanished right after touching that control panel. Just like the rest of the bridge crew did. He didn't know how that linked to the rest of the Enterprise Crew. There was no way, everyone else was using a panel at the same time. But he still stood firm just in case he was wrong.

"Jim!"

Came a faint whisper, interrupting Kirk from his thoughts. Taking that moment, Kirk quickly spins around, but only to find no one there. He made a complete turn as he took a quick tour of the Bridge.

"Jim, help me!"

The voice came again just before he heard the doors swish open, behind him. Kirk quickly turned back around... so quick, it felt like his feet hadn't left the ground.

There in the doorway stood the very person, he thought he might never see again. But the only person he truly wanted here right now. Not that Kirk didn't want his crew back - He did! They were family after all, but if he had to choose one of them to be beside him, helping work this all out, would be none other than the guy walking towards him, staring around in confusion; which he was sure was showing on his own face. To be honest there would be one other person to add to that. Even if he was acting more Vulcan than human. Kirk was certain that if he could get Spock to lighten up a little; they could be the friends. But the big question was... How?

"Jim, what the hell is going on?" McCoy's very words snapped Kirk out of his thoughts. "One minute my Sickbay was full of patients and then you make a joke... Which for some reason made them all vanish into thin air and on top of that, I find an empty ship. Even the Bridge, except for it's Captain." McCoy went on in his usual way, before bringing his face right up close to Kirk's. "SO, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO THE CREW?" He screamed.

"I wish, I was responsible for this..." He started to answer, making his friend take a step back in shock. Kirk knew that Bones didn't really blame him; It was just the way he acted when the impossible happened. "At least, then I would know their whereabouts." He finished saying.

McCoy's face was suddenly replaced with 'I'm not impressed' look. "As amusing as that sounds... What are you going to do about getting my patients back?" He glared back.

That was a very good question. What was he going to do?

"Well..." McCoy looked on waiting to hear what his 'Captain' would do.

Kirk quickly looked away. He couldn't continue looking at his friend for a moment longer. That look in his eye; That glare of hope that he 'The captain' would know what to do... He always knew what to do!

As Kirk stared back out through the viewscreen at the look-alike Earth planet. For the first time, 'The Captain of the Enterprise' had no idea what to do and worst of all how to get his family back.

Chapter two

"Is that what I think it is?" Is friend suddenly asked.

Kirk didn't have to turn around or ask what McCoy was on about. He knew is friend was now facing the same way he was and seeing for the first time what was in front of them. "It can't be... We aren't even in our solar system."

"So if it's not Earth. Where in space are we?" McCoy asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kirk answered before silence surround them both.

As the silence stretched between them, Kirk knew the only way to answer McCoy's question was to risk is life or, at least, the possibility of vanishing like Spock did. But for some reason he remained where he was; He had this feeling deep down that he should stay away from the monitors and his gut feeling had never steered him wrong, yet.

"Jim!"

"Yeah, Bones."

"Yeah, what?" McCoy responded.

"What were you about to say?" Kirk asked, thinking that maybe this was getting to his friend more than he thought. When McCoy didn't answer, he slowly turned to see a concern look staring back at him. That look only appeared when McCoy was seriously worried about him. "What?" Was all Kirk could manage to say. He could never tell him or anyone how he really was... Most of the time he didn't need to; His friend knew him too well. But mainly it was because he couldn't deal with McCoy fussing over him – And those hypos sure did hurt!

"Captain. Please, help me."

Now that wasn't McCoy speaking unless he had learned to speak without moving his lips. So, who did say that? Someone wanted his help, someone who knew him by name. Only McCoy called him Jim, everyone else called him by his rank. This person was trying both, to get his attention. He slowly turned around where he could see the whole bridge. And as before, there was no-one else here, except McCoy. That voice had sounded so soft as if it were a female. It reminded Kirk of how his Mother used to speak to him as a child. His Mother surely wasn't here or would ever speak to him as softly as that.

"What is going on inside that head of yours, Jim?"

Now that was definitely McCoy's voice; He heard it loud and clear. Kirk took one last look around him, there certainly was no-one on the bridge unless they were hiding, but there weren't any hiding places – And why would someone calling for help be hiding from that very person? One thing was certain, though... He was the only one who could hear them. "Do you hear that, Bones?" He found himself asking, just to be sure.

"What I'm I supposed to be listening to? The deafening silence or you asking silly questions."

Kirk knew he should come back with is own sarcastic remark. But that wasn't what was coming out of his mouth... "Someone calling my name very softly; Like a mother soothing their child." A distant memory that he had forgotten or at least pushed to the back of mind was now resurfacing itself. He quickly turned to face McCoy hoping and praying he hadn't said that last part aloud.

McCoy's next move answered that for him... He suddenly pulled a scanner out of nowhere and started swinging his arm around. Now, where could he have possibly kept that? (He wasn't wearing his medical belt or anything else that could hold a scanner) Now, Kirk was truly regretting his words. He instantly reached out for McCoy's hand – Missing it the first time as McCoy moved up to scan his face, But he certainly caught a hold of his wrist the second time and stopping it in mid-air. "I'm fine, Bones." He heard himself say while lowering that hand away from him. "Now, put that thing away," He ordered. Kirk slowly let go of McCoy's hand, but ready to grab it again should his friend continue to scan him.

"Not only have the crew disappeared." McCoy started to mumble as he lifted his head to face the ceiling, before lowering it again with a sarcastic look on his face. " But, the Captain of the ship is hearing voices." His face instantly turned serious as he started crossing his arms in front of him. "God, help me!" He finally said with a lift of his eyebrows.


End file.
